Effects of the body mass index (BMI) on the surgical outcomes of laparoscopic fundoplication for gastro-esophageal reflux disease: a propensity score-matched analysis

In the present study, we examined how the body mass index (BMI) affected the outcomes of laparoscopic fundoplication for GERD in patients, whose backgrounds were matched in a propensity score-matched analysis.

We divided the patients into two groups (BMI <25 kg/m² and BMI ≥25 kg/m²). The following background information was matched for the propensity score-matched analysis: sex, age, degree of esophageal hiatal hernia, acid exposure time, and degree of reflux esophagitis. In total, 105 subjects were extracted in each group. The surgical outcomes and postoperative outcomes of patients with BMI <25 kg/m² (Group A) and those with BMI ≥25 kg/m² (Group B) were compared and examined.

There were no differences in the surgical procedure, intraoperative complications, or estimated blood loss (p = 0.876, p = 0.516, p = 0.438, respectively); however, the operative time was significantly prolonged in Group B (p = 0.003). The rate of postoperative recurrence in Group A was 17% (15/87 patients), while that in Group B was 11% (12/91 patients), and did not differ to a statistically significant extent (p = 0.533).

Although the operative time for GERD in obese patients was prolonged in comparison with non-obese patients, there was no difference in the rate of postoperative recurrence.