Effectiveness of sleeve gastrectomy plus fundoplication versus sleeve gastrectomy alone for treatment of patients with severe obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is a widely performed bariatric surgery, but it is associated with an increased risk of gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) in the long term. The addition of fundoplication to laparoscopic SG may improve lower oesophageal sphincter function and reduce postoperative GERD. Objectives This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to compare the efficacy and safety of SG plus fundoplication (SG + F) versus SG alone for the treatment of patients with severe obesity (≥35 kg/m2). Setting Meta-analysis. Methods Three electronic databases were searched from inception until January 2023. Studies were included if they compared outcomes of SG + F versus SG in patients with severe obesity (≥35 kg/m2). The primary outcome was remission of GERD postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were the percentage of excess weight loss, percentage of total weight loss, postoperative complication rate, operative time, and length of stay. Results A total of 5 studies with 539 subjects (212 SG + F and 327 SG alone) were included. The mean preoperative body mass index was 42.6 kg/m2. SG + F achieved higher remission of GERD compared with laparoscopic SG (odds ratio [OR] = 13.13; 95% CI, 3.54–48.73; I2 = 0%). However, the percentage of total weight loss was lower in the SG + F group (mean difference [MD] = –2.75, 95% CI, –4.28 to –1.23; I2 = 0%), whereas there was no difference in the percentage of excess weight loss (MD = –0.64; 95% CI, –20.62–19.34; I2 = 83%). There were higher postoperative complications in SG + F (OR = 2.56; 95% CI, 1.12–5.87; I2 = 0%) as well. There was no difference in operative time or length of stay between the 2 groups. Conclusion SG + F achieved better GERD remission but is associated with lesser weight loss and increased postoperative complications compared with SG alone. Further studies are required to ascertain the overall clinical benefit of SG + F for patients with severe obesity.