Platelet Rich Plasma in Hiatal Hernia Repair

Rationale: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disease caused by a dysfunctional lower esophageal sphincter and an abnormal esophageal hiatus or hiatal hernia. Approximately 30% of large hiatal hernias will recur after surgery, in part due to weak connective tissue at the hiatus. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is a promising autologous therapy that may address this shortcoming by substantially enhancing wound healing of the hiatus after repair.

Intervention: PRP will be applied to mesh used in hiatal hernia repair.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine the efficacy of PRP in hiatal hernia compared to traditional hernia repair without PRP.

Study population: 150 patients 18 years and older with large (>5cm) paraesophageal hernias.

Study methodology and study arms: a 1:1 allocation ration will be used to randomly assign 75 patients to the experimental arm (PRP with mesh) and 75 patients to the control arm (mesh only).

Study outcomes: The primary outcome will be 1-year postoperative hernia recurrence based on video esophagram and/or upper endoscopy. The secondary outcome will be GERD-Health Related Quality of Life (GERD-HRQL) scores and dysphagia scores at 6 and 12 months.

Follow-up: Patients who undergo fundoplication and hiatal hernia repair with mesh are seen in clinic for follow-up at two weeks, six weeks, six months, one year, and annually thereafter. Video esophagram or upper endoscopy will be performed at 1 year after surgery to assess the primary outcome. The investigators secondary outcome of reduction in GERD-HRQL score will be determined by a difference in the GERD-HRQL score from the preoperative score to the postoperative scores taken at 6 months and 1 year. The investigators secondary outcome of dysphagia will be determined by EAT-10 scores taken at 6 months and 1 year.

Statistics/Analysis: Descriptive statistics will be used. Intention to treat and per protocol analyses will be performed. Frequentist and Bayesian statistical analyses will be used to determine statistically and clinically important outcomes.