ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT04179578PEH2Updated Oct 16, 2026

The Value of Lateral Release in Reconstruction of the Diaphragmatic Hiatus Hernia

An interventional study of Crura plastic in Paraesophageal Hernia, sponsored by Karolinska Institutet. Completed at 1 site in Sweden. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-16.

Sponsored by Karolinska Institutet · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 3 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Jul 2019, registered Nov 2019).
Updated Oct 16, 2026Now CompletedPrimary completion moved+2 moreGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
74
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Patients scheduled for surgery for primary paraesophageal herniation are randomized to either conventional suturing of the crura or with the addition of lateral release.

Read the detailed description

Patient undergoing surgery for primary paraesophageal herniation, are randomized to either conventional suturing of the diaphragmatic crura only or with the addition of a diaphragmatic incision "lateral release".

The patients are examined by computed tomography before surgery and at 1 and 3 years after surgery.

SF-36 (global quality of Life instrument), GSRS (Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale), Reflux frequency issues and Watson's dysphagia score are completed before and at 3 and 6 month as well as 1 and 3 years after surgery.

Patients undergoing laparoscopic repair for paraesophageal hernia Type II-IV are eligible for inclusion in the study. Included patients will be randomized to either reconstruction of the hiatus by suturing of the crura alone or in combination with an approximately 4 cm incision of the anterior aspect of the left diaphragma "lateral release" before crural suturing. The incision will be covered with a synthetic patch after crural closure is finished. All other aspects of the surgical procedure are similar in the two groups including complete mobilization of the hernia sac before and a total fundoplication after hiatal restoration, respectively.

02

Conditions studied

  • Paraesophageal Hernia

Browse trials for

03

In context

Hernia, Hiatal

87 studies on the registry are indexed under Hernia, Hiatal; 27 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 74 is below the median of 100 across 56 interventional studies indexed under Hernia, Hiatal.

Browse Hernia, Hiatal studies →

Lead sponsor

Karolinska Institutet is the lead sponsor of 1,148 studies on the registry; 276 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • all patients with primary hiatus hernia type II-IV who are deemed suitable for surgery

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • inability to understand the nature of the purpose of the study and/or to give .
  • physical status-system (ASA) >III
  • Achalasia or another severe esophageal motor disorder
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

ASA physical status

The anaesthetists’ scale of health before surgery: I is healthy, II has a mild illness that is under control, III a severe one, IV a severe illness that is a constant threat to life. V and VI are used for the critically ill and for organ donors.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
74 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Crura

    Closure of the diaphragmatic hiatus by a running suture alone

    Procedure: Crura plastic

  • Active comparator
    Crura and lateral release

    Closure of the diaphragmatic hiatus by a running suture and an incision of 4 cm of the left diaphragm (lateral release)

    Procedure: Crura plastic

Interventions

  • ProcedureCrura plastic

    Closure of hiatus with a running suture

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Rat of reherniating

    computer tomography of abdomen and thorax

    Time frame: 1 year

Secondary outcomes

  1. complications after operation

    symptomatic recurrence

    Time frame: 1 year

  2. change in quality of life

    SF-36 (Quality of Life issues) The SF-36 It is comprised of 36 items that assess eight health concepts: physical functioning, role limitations caused by physical health problems, role limitations caused by emotional problems, social functioning, emotional well-being, energy/fatigue, pain, and general health perceptions. Physical and mental health summary scores are also derived from the eight RAND-36 scales. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

    Time frame: 1 year

  3. Patients analgesic consumption after operation

    information from the patient and the patient´s journal

    Time frame: 1 year

  4. Length of Stay (LOS)

    Information from the patient's journal

    Time frame: 1 year

  5. sick leave period

    Days, information from the patient

    Time frame: 1 year

  6. GSRS Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale

    Scoring;The questionnaire, which contains 15 items, uses a seven-graded Likert scale, where 1 represents the most positive option and 7 the most negative one. A mean value for the items in each dimension should be calculated: Diarrhoea syndrome: 11. Increased passage of stools 12. Loose stools 14. Urgent need for defecation Indigestion syndrome: 6. Borborygmus 7. Abdominal distension 8. Eructation 9. Increased flatus Constipation syndrome: 10. Decreased passage of stools 13. Hard stools 15. Feeling of incomplete evacuation Abdominal pain syndrome: 1. Abdominal pain 4. Sucking sensations 5. Nausea and vomiting Reflux syndrome: 2. Heartburn 3. Acid regurgitation

    Time frame: 1 year

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Ersta Hospital
    Stockholm, Region Stockholm 116 91, Sweden
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Tsoposidis A, Thorell A, Axelsson H, Reuterwall Hansson M, Lundell L, Wallenius V, Kostic S, Hakanson B. The value of "diaphragmatic relaxing incision" for the durability of the crural repair in patients with paraesophageal hernia: a double blind randomized clinical trial. Front Surg. 2023 Nov 10;10:1265370. doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2023.1265370. eCollection 2023. PubMed 38026477 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Status
Active, not recruiting→Completed
changed Oct 16, 2026
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2026→Mar 22, 2024 (actual)
Oct 16, 2026
Study completion
Dec 31, 2026→Jun 17, 2025 (actual)
Oct 16, 2026
Enrollment
70 (estimated)→74 (actual)
Oct 16, 2026
Publications
1 publication citing this study linked from PubMed, e.g. PubMed 38026477 ↗
Oct 16, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Oct 16, 2026
    Active, not recruiting→Completed
    Publications 1 publication citing this study linked from PubMed, e.g. PubMed 38026477 ↗
    Primary completion Dec 31, 2026→Mar 22, 2024 (now actual)
    Study completion Dec 31, 2026→Jun 17, 2025 (now actual)
    Enrollment 70 (estimated)→74 (actual)
    + 4 other changes: index terms, identifiers, verification date and site details

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04179578
Responsible party
Anders Thorell (Professor, Karolinska Institutet) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 27, 2019
Start date
Jul 16, 2019
Primary completion
Mar 22, 2024
Completion
Jun 17, 2025
Last update
Oct 16, 2026

Study contacts

Anders Thorell, Professor
principal investigator · Karolinska Institutet

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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