Posterior Rectus Sheath Hiatal Augmentation in Paraesophageal Hernia Repair

One of the most challenging problems facing foregut surgeons is the large and complex paraesophageal hernia (PEH) repair in the older patient. Patients often present for surgery after decades of chronic reflux disease and a known hiatal hernia that has finally progressed to a complete intrathoracic stomach with symptoms concerning for a gastric volvulus. Surgery in such patients involves extensive mediastinal dissection to reduce the large hernia sac, repositioning of the gastroesophageal junction into the abdomen and then repair of a significantly attenuated defect in older patients with attenuated diaphragmatic muscle integrity. Challenges with PEH repair are multifactorial and include primary closure of weakened crural muscle in a large attenuated diaphragmatic defect; the absence of a substantial fascial layer to use to close the defect; and the avoidance of permanent mesh due to the risk of shrinkage, dysphagia and esophageal erosion. While a tension free repair is the goal, the use of relaxing incisions, fixation to posterior structures, and other such modifications have not proven to be universally beneficial.

One of the most challenging problems facing foregut surgeons is the large and complex paraesophageal hernia (PEH) repair in the older patient. The investigator has demonstrated good outcomes and durability with the initial use of a novel permanent autologous vascularized biologic fascial flap to reconstruct the diaphragmatic hiatus following standard hiatal hernia repair in selected patients. This technique is called a posterior rectus sheath flap hiatal augmentation or PoRSHA, which is performed to enhance the hiatal repair for large (type III and IV) and recurrent PEH. The investigator believes by using the patient's autologous vascularized and peritonealized fascia at the hiatal defect, PoRSHA could increase the strength and restore the hiatal complex properties in ways that synthetic mesh, or a primary repair cannot.

While initial use of this technique is promising, the investigator believes that long-term and large patient population is necessary to better evaluate the outcomes. The use of the IDEAL framework (Idea, Development, Exploration, Assessment and Long-term follow-up) framework for surgical innovation, to determine its safe development and overall evaluation as a surgical innovation. Using this framework the investigators will evaluate the long-term outcomes in a large patient population.