Voss

This research investigates whether adding gastropexy, a surgical technique of suturing the gastric remnant to the gastrocolic ligament, can reduce gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms and objective signs in patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) for morbid obesity. LSG is a common weight-loss surgery that removes part of the stomach but can increase reflux, possibly due to the stomach moving into the chest area after surgery. The study aims to find out if preventing this movement with gastropexy can lower reflux rates. Participants in this trial will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: sleeve gastrectomy with gastropexy or sleeve gastrectomy without gastropexy. A total of 550 patients planned for primary LSG will be included. The study will monitor and compare reflux outcomes between the groups over several years, with follow-up visits scheduled at six weeks, one year, two years, and five years after surgery. During the study, researchers will assess reflux symptoms, use of acid-reducing medications, and any reoperations due to reflux over a two-year period. Patient-reported outcome questionnaires will be used to capture symptoms, and follow-up evaluations will help determine the effectiveness of gastropexy in preventing reflux after sleeve gastrectomy. Long-term monitoring will continue up to five years to observe lasting effects.