Skip to content

Clinical Trial Comparing Open and Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication in Children

Randomized Controlled Trial of Laparoscopic Compared to Open Nissen Fundoplication in Children Younger Than 2 Years of Age

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00382850
Enrollment
68
Registered
2006-10-02
Start date
2005-11-30
Completion date
2010-11-30
Last updated
2018-08-01

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Gastroesophageal Reflux

Keywords

Nissen fundoplication, gastroesophageal reflux

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether short- and long-term outcomes are different between open and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication performed in children younger than 2 years of age.

Detailed description

Nissen fundoplication is a commonly performed procedure in infants and children with gastroesophageal reflux and a variety of other medical conditions including respiratory compromise, severe neurologic impairment, failure to thrive and swallowing dysfunction. Randomized controlled trials in adults have shown that laparoscopic fundoplication is a safe procedure that results in lower morbidity, shorter hospital length of stay and similar 5-year recurrence rates when compared to an open procedure. The aim of this study is to compare laparoscopic and open Nissen fundoplication in children less than 2 years of age. Children younger than 2 years of age presenting for Nissen fundoplication will be randomized to either a laparoscopic or an open procedure. Patients who have already undergone anti-reflux surgery or whose hospitalization is anticipated to be prolonged by an unrelated illness will be excluded. All procedures will be performed at a single institution by two surgeons who will perform both the open and laparoscopic procedures. A total of 68 patients will be needed (34 in each group) to detect a 20% difference in length of stay at a significance level of p \< 0.05 and power of 80%. Patients will be followed for up to 2 years postoperatively. Variables to be compared between the two groups will include age, gender, presence of neurologic impairment, presence and specification of any congenital abnormalities, total operative time, total dose of narcotic analgesia required, postoperative day on which the patient tolerated full feedings, postoperative and total lengths of stay as well as the occurrence of postoperative complications (including wound infection and the need for immediate reoperation). The primary outcomes analyzed will be length of stay and amount of narcotic analgesia required. Longer-term outcomes including persistent GERD, wrap failure and need for reoperation within 24 months of the initial procedure also will be determined.

Interventions

Sponsors

Johns Hopkins University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Caregiver)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
No minimum to 24 Months
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* clinical or radiographic diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux * age less than 2 years (24 months) at the time of surgery

Exclusion criteria

* prior fundoplication procedure * concomitant need for an intraabdominal procedure (except gastrostomy tube placement) * esophageal dysmotility * hospitalization expected to be prolonged due to a concurrent illness actively being treated (e.g. congenital heart disease requiring surgical repair during the same hospitalization)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
postoperative length of stay0 to 14daysdays in hospital
postoperative narcotic pain medication requirements0 to 14 daysdays requiring narcotics for pain relief
length of time to tolerating full feeds prior to discharge0 to 7 daysdays after surgery before feeding begins

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
intraoperative complication ratesduration of procedurecomplications of procedure
deathup to 2 yearsdeath
wrap failure and need for subsequent reoperationup to 2 yrsoperative failure
need for continued medical therapy for GERup to 2 yrssymptomatic reflux requiring medication

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026