Incidence and Impact of Preoperative Hiatal Hernia in Patients with Esophageal Carcinoma Undergoing Curative Surgical Resection

Background Hiatal hernia (HH) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma. High positive margin rates and poor survival were described among HH patients undergoing esophagectomy. We sought to describe incidence and impact of HH on outcomes following esophagectomy. Methods Patients who underwent esophagectomy 2012–2019 for esophago-junctional carcinoma were included. CT studies were blindly reviewed by two radiologists. A third radiologist reviewed cases of disagreement. Hernias ≥ 3 cm were included in the HH group. Results Overall, 66 patients (33%) had HH ≥ 3 cm. The no hernia group included 12 patients (6%) with < 3 cm HH and 106 (53%) without HH. Preoperative variables were comparable among groups. Location of anastomosis was similar among cohorts and predominantly cervical ( n = 97, 82.2% vs 61, 92.4%, p = 0.113). Postoperatively, HH patients had higher incidence of atrial dysrhythmia ( n = 11, 16.7% vs n = 6, 5.1% p = 0.015). Rates of R0 resections were similar ( n = 62, 93.9%, vs n = 113, 95.8%, p = 0.724). HH patients had higher rates of signet ring cell histology ( n = 14, 21.2% vs n = 9, 7.6% p = 0.025); this was confirmed on subgroup analysis including only adenocarcinoma patients ( n = 14, 28.6% vs n = 8, 12.3%, p = 0.042). On Cox regression analysis, HH was not associated with disease-free or overall survival (HR 1.308, p = 0.274 and HR .905, p = 0.722). Conclusions Patients with preoperative HH had higher rates of postoperative atrial dysrhythmias and signet ring cell features on pathology. In a population with predominant cervical anastomosis, positive margin rates were low and survival comparable among cohorts.