An interventional study of OviTex Mesh and Pledgeted sutures in Paraesophageal Hernia and GERD, sponsored by David Krpata. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-26.
Sponsored by David Krpata · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare whether the use of Ovitex mesh provides superior reduction in 2-year recurrence compared to pledgeted suture closure (no mesh) for patients undergoing paraesophageal hernia repair at the Cleveland Clinic. The main questions it aims to answer are:
This is a prospective, single-center, randomized, two-arm trial assessing the impact of Ovitex mesh on paraesophageal hernia recurrence. This study will occur at Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, OH. A total of 164 patients will be enrolled in this study. The anticipated accrual rate is approximately 7 per month for a total accrual period of approximately 24 months.
Patients may be enrolled into the study provided all inclusion and no exclusion criteria are met as specified in Section 4. Subjects will be evaluated through hospital discharge and return for follow-up visits at 1 month (10 days-45 days) and annually through 2 years postoperatively. Total estimated duration for the trial is 4 years for the primary outcome with an additional 3 years for longer term follow up resulting in a total of 7 years.
Several approaches to limiting bias are included in this trial.
Study Endpoints Primary Endpoint The primary endpoint of this study is the binary 2-year rate of radiographic recurrence of the paraesophageal hernia, defined gastroesophageal junction at least 2 cm above the hiatus on upper GI studies, CT, or MRI. Anatomical recurrence assessed via imaging is the gold standard of diagnosing recurrence, and thus is the most appropriate primary outcome.
Secondary Endpoints
Patient quality of life (measured at baseline, 30 days, and annually)
Safety endpoints:
While anatomic recurrence is extremely important from a surgical perspective, patients often have variable impacts of recurrence on quality of life. Furthermore, there is significant variability in symptoms for patients with recurrence. These secondary outcomes will help us to characterize the impact of potential recurrences on the patient.
Additionally, immediate recurrences offer insight into possible issues with the repair and are important to evaluate. Rates of reoperation can indicate the severity of the recurrence's impact on quality of life. Given the concerns about mesh complications, safety endpoints are necessary. Since the use of mesh is more expensive than not using mesh, collecting data on cost will help in future cost effectiveness analyses.
87 studies on the registry are indexed under Hernia, Hiatal; 27 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 164 is above the median of 100 across 56 interventional studies indexed under Hernia, Hiatal.
Browse Hernia, Hiatal studies →David Krpata is the lead sponsor of 2 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
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.
Exclusion Criteria:
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.
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.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Patient will receive Ovitex mesh to reinforce the crural repair
Device: OviTex Mesh
Patient will receive pledgeted sutures to reinforce the crural repair
Other: Pledgeted sutures
Patient will receive Ovitex Mesh (TELA Bio)
Patient will receive pledgeted sutures
Radiographic recurrence rate
The primary endpoint of this study is the binary 2-year rate of radiographic recurrence of the paraesophageal hernia, defined gastroesophageal junction at least 2 cm above the hiatus on upper gastrointestinal studies, CT, or MRI.
Time frame: 2 years after surgery
Patient quality of life as measured by the validated EQ5D survey
Patient quality of life will be assessed using the validated EQ5D (EuroQol 5 Dimension) survey measuring self-reported assessments of mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression between the two groups.
Time frame: Preop, 30-day, 1-year, and 2-year timepoints after surgery
Patient quality of life as measured by the validated EQ-VAS survey
Patient quality of life will be assessed using the validated EQ-VAS (EuroQol Visual Analog Scale) that takes values between 100 (best imaginable health) and 0 (worst imaginable health), on which patients provide a global assessment of their health attributed by paraesophageal hernias and compared between the two groups. This scale was designed to be used in conjunction with the EQ5D survey.
Time frame: Preop, 30-day, 1-year, and 2-year timepoints after surgery
Patient quality of life as measured by the validated decision regret scale survey
Patient quality of life will be assessed using the validated decision regret scale, a 5-item survey used to serve as an indicator of health care decision regret at a given point in time attributed by undergoing surgery for the patient's paraesophageal hernia and compared between the two groups. The patients are asked 5 questions regarding the decision to undergo the surgery and to indicate the extent to which they agree or disagree with the statements in the regret scale by indicating a number from 1 (Strongly Agree) to 5 (Strongly Disagree) that best indicates their level of agreement. To obtain a final score, the items are converted to a 0-100 scale by subtracting 1 from each item then multiplying by 25. A score of 0 means no regret; a score of 100 means high regret. Final scores will be compared between the two groups.
Time frame: 1-year, and 2-year timepoints after surgery
Patient quality of life as measured by the GERD-HRQL scale
Patient quality of life will be assessed using the validated GERD-HRQL (GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease Health-Related Quality of Life) scale, which provides a quantitative method of measuring GERD symptoms severity and contains a total of 10 scaled items (Likert 0-5, with higher score indicating worse symptoms). A minimum composite score of 0 will be the best possible score (asymptomatic in all items) and the maximum score of 50 represents incapacitation in all items. Composite scores will be compared between the two groups.
Time frame: Preop, 30-day, 1-year, and 2-year timepoints after surgery
Patient satisfaction as measured by patient reported assessment
Patient-reported global satisfaction assessment within the GERD-HRQL (GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease Health-Related Quality of Life) survey. The patient will answer whether they are satisfied, neutral, or dissatisfied with their present condition at the time of completing the GERD-HRQL. Their answers will be interpreted as a patient-reported 'global' assessment of their condition with respect to GERD and compared between the two groups.
Time frame: Preop, 30-day, 1-year, and 2-year timepoints after surgery
Patient quality of life as measured by presence of patient reported dysphagia symptoms
A dysphagia scale will be used to measure the presence of 8 symptoms (regurgitation, chest pain, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, postprandial pain, cardiovascular, and pulmonary symptoms) over the prior 7 days, each on a 0-10 scale with 0 representing "no effect on life" and 10 representing "extreme effect on life." Mean scores for each symptom will be compared between the two groups.
Time frame: Preop, 30-day, 1-year, and 2-year timepoints after surgery
Immediate recurrence
The rates of immediate paraesophageal recurrence (as defined as within 45 days of surgery) will be compared between the 2 groups.
Time frame: Within 45 days from surgery
Reoperations
Reoperation rates for paraesophageal hernia will be compared between the two groups throughout the study
Time frame: Throughout study up to 2 years after surgery
Intraoperative complications
Intraoperative complications (solid organ injury, etc.) will be recorded and compared between the two groups.
Time frame: At time of surgery
Clavien-Dindo Complications
The Clavien-Dindo complication classification, which consists of 7 grades (I, II, IIIa, IIIb, IVa, IVb, and V) where higher grades mean increased severity of complication, will be used to categorize complications for each patient and compared between the two groups.
Time frame: Throughout study up to 2 years after surgery
Comprehensive Complications Index (CCI)
The Comprehensive Complications Index (CCI), which is calculated as the sum of all complications and weighted for their severity based on the Clavien-Dindo classification will be calculated for each patient and compared between the two groups. The CCI scale ranges from 0 (no complication) to 100 (death).
Time frame: Throughout study up to 2 years after surgery
Foregut complications requiring reintervention
Foregut complications requiring reinterventions will be recorded for each patient and compared between the two groups.
Time frame: Throughout study up to 2 years after surgery
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Sep 2023 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2027, 51 months after the start.
Of 33 interventional studies with no phase under Hernia, Hiatal, half reached primary completion within 54 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 22 and three quarters within 68. This study's planned 51 months is close to that.
Primary completion moved once since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026: Dec 2026 → Dec 2027, on Oct 26, 2026.
Earlier changes are on the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
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 ↗
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David Krpata