Fatal and life-threatening complications in antireflux surgery: analysis of 5502 operations

Background: There have been few comprehensive studies relating to the life- threatening or fatal complications of antireflux surgery. Methods: Some 5502 antireflux operations were performed in Finland between January 1987 and January 1996 (population approximately 5 million); 3993 pr ocedures (72.6 per cent) were open fundo-plications, 1162 (21.1 per cent) l aparoscopic fundoplications and 347 (6.3 per cent) other anti- reflux proce dures. Results: There were 43 fatal or life-threatening complications (prevalence 0.8 per cent). Twenty-two followed primary open fundoplication (prevalence 0.6 per cent), 15 laparoscopic fundoplication (prevalence 1.3 per cent) (P < 0.05), one refundoplication and five other antireflux procedures. The ove rall mortality rate was 0.3 per cent. Nine patients (0.2 per cent) died aft er open fundoplication, one (0.1 per cent) following laparoscopic fundoplic ation (P = 0.43), one following refundoplication and four after other antir eflux procedures. Laparoscopic fundoplication was followed by 14 non-fatal life-threatening complications (prevalence 1.2 per cent), open fundoplicati on by 13 (prevalence 0.3 per cent) (P < 0.01) and other antireflux procedur es by one life-threatening complication (0.3 per cent). Conclusion: Laparoscopic fundoplication was associated with more life-threa tening complications than open fundoplication. This may compromise the adva ntages of the laparoscopic technique.