Gastroesophageal reflux disease after per-oral endoscopic myotomy as compared with Heller's myotomy with fundoplication: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) represents a less invasive alternative, as compared with conventional laparoscopic Heller's myotomy (LHM), for achalasia patients. It cannot be excluded, however, that the lack of fundoplication after POEM may result in a higher incidence of reflux disease, as compared with LHM. The aim was to conduct a systematic review of prospective studies reporting the incidence of reflux disease developed after POEM and LHM.Literature search with electronic databases was performed (up to February 2017) to identify full articles on the incidence of gastro-esophageal reflux symptoms, endoscopic- and pH-monitoring-findings after POEM and LHM (with fundoplication). Proportions and rates were pooled by means of a random or fixed effects models, according to the level of heterogeneity between studies.After applying the selection criteria, 17 and 28 studies, including 1,542 and 2,581 subjects who underwent POEM and LHM, respectively, were included. Pooled rate of postprocedure symptoms was 19.0% (95% CI, 15.7%-22.8%) after POEM, and 8.8% (95% CI, 5.3%-14.1%) after LHM, respectively. Pooled rate estimate of abnormal acid exposure at pH-monitoring was 39.0% (95% CI, 24.5%-55.8%) after POEM, and 16.8% (95% CI, 10.2%-26.4%) after LHM, respectively. Rate of post-POEM esophagitis was 29.4% (95% CI, 18.5%-43.3%) after POEM, and 7.6% (95% CI, 4.1%-13.7%) after LHM. At meta-regression, heterogeneity was partly explained by POEM approach and study population.Incidence of reflux-disease appears to be significantly more frequent after POEM than after LHM with fundoplication. pH-monitoring and appropriate treatment after POEM should be considered in order to prevent long-term reflux-related adverse events.