Preoperative Predictors of Symptom Improvement After Laparoscopic Fundoplication

Laparoscopic fundoplication is the standard operation for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that does not respond adequately to medication, and it relieves reflux symptoms in most patients who are carefully selected for it. Even so, published studies consistently report that between 10% and 30% of patients continue to have symptoms afterwards, develop troublesome side effects such as difficulty swallowing or bloating, or are dissatisfied with the result. Much of this disappointment reflects who was chosen for surgery rather than any technical fault in the operation: patients whose symptoms are not actually caused by acid reflux predictably gain little benefit from a well-constructed wrap.

Individual factors measured before surgery, such as the amount of acid in the esophagus, the link between symptoms and reflux episodes, the type of symptoms, and how well the patient responded to acid-suppressing tablets, have each been linked to the outcome. However, most of that evidence comes from retrospective studies that used different definitions of success, so it is still unclear which factors matter independently once they are considered together.

This study will follow adults with objectively confirmed GERD who are scheduled for elective laparoscopic fundoplication at Minia University Hospitals. Before surgery, every participant undergoes the same standardized assessment: upper endoscopy, 24-hour pH-impedance monitoring off acid-suppressing medication, high-resolution manometry, measurement of height and weight, and questionnaires covering reflux symptoms, anxiety, depression and physical symptom burden. Participants then complete validated symptom questionnaires again at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after the operation.

The main measure of success is "responder status" at 12 months, meaning at least a 50% improvement in the total GERD-HRQL symptom score compared with before surgery, supported by the patient's own rating of satisfaction. The investigators will analyze ten factors recorded before surgery to determine which of them independently predict this outcome, and will use the results to build and test a prediction tool that surgeons can apply during preoperative counseling.

The study does not assign any treatment. The type of wrap performed, either a complete (Nissen) or a partial posterior (Toupet) fundoplication, is chosen by the treating surgeon according to a prespecified rule based on esophageal motility, exactly as in routine practice. Taking part involves completing questionnaires and attending the usual follow-up appointments, and adds no additional procedural risk.