The Angelchik prosthesis and gastroesophageal reflux

Complications of the Angelchik antireflux prosthesis. A community experience

The use of the Angelchik antireflux prosthesis has increased rapidly in our community since its introduction in 1979. Our experience with two patients who had serious complications associated with this prosthesis led us to review all 76 patients in our community who had undergone implantation of the device. Complications developed in 20 patients after placement of the prosthesis, and 12 of them required subsequent laparotomy for removal of the prosthesis. The complications observed were persistent dysphagia, late-onset dysphagia, transient dysphagia, persistent vomiting, esophageal obstruction, early gas bloat syndrome, gastric erosion, slippage of the prosthesis over the gastric fundus, disruption of the prosthesis, and migration of the prosthesis. Because of the frequency of potentially serious complications, we cannot recommend its use in the surgical treatment of esophageal reflux.

Prospective study of the Angelchik anti-reflux prosthesis

Fifty patients with medically refractory gastro-oesophageal reflux were treated by the insertion of an Angelchik anti-reflux prosthesis. All patients had a pre-operative upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, 32 were investigated with 15 h overnight oesophageal pH studies combined with oesophageal bile sampling and 20 underwent oesophageal manometric studies. At pre-operative endoscopy 45 patients had evidence of oesophagitis and the 5 who did not had pathological reflux demonstrated on overnight pH testing. Postoperatively the main clinical problem was dysphagia which appeared to settle with time but left one-third of patients with mild dysphagia at the end of 12 months. A further 12 per cent had residual moderate to severe dysphagia which required the removal of the prosthesis in five patients (10 per cent). In only one patient was the dysphagia due to prosthetic migration and this was the first patient in the series. Subsequently, we have had no problems with prosthetic migration, disruption, or erosion into the oesophagus. The overnight pH studies confirmed the efficacy of the prosthesis in preventing reflux which correlated with symptomatic improvement. We conclude that, while the Angelchik anti-reflux prosthesis is an effective device, it has a disturbingly high incidence of postoperative dysphagia though this appears to settle with time, leaving around 10 per cent of patients with severe dysphagia which will necessitate removal of the prosthesis and one-third with mild dysphagia which may settle with the further passage of time.

Randomized prospective trial of the Angelchik anti-reflux prosthesis

Fifty-two patients with reflux oesophagitis resistant to medical treatment were randomized at operation to receive either the Angelchik prosthesis or a fundoplication. All patients were assessed postoperatively by a physician unaware of the nature of the operation. Forty-two patients have been followed up for 1-2 years; ten patients for 3-9 months. Ninety-six per cent of the Angelchik patients had satisfactory or excellent results compared with 81 per cent with a fundoplication. There were no failures to control reflux with the Angelchik prosthesis whereas 6 patients (23 per cent) of the fundoplication group have persisting reflux. Operating times for insertion of the prosthesis averaged a little over half that recorded for fundoplication. Complication rates were similar. The results of the trial encourage the use of the prosthesis in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux, where medical treatment has failed. The prosthesis should not be used if the gut is opened during operation either inadvertently or deliberately, as in making a suture line or anastomosis, because of the risk of sepsis.