Evaluation of oral tolerance time in patients undergoing laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) with and without intraoperative esophageal calibration

Background: Introduction. Intraoperative esophageal calibration during laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) is employed to reduce postoperative complications, such as dysphagia. However, its impact on the time to postoperative oral tolerance remains debated. This study compares oral tolerance time in patients undergoing LNF with and without esophageal calibration. Materials and Methods. At Hospital Angeles Metropolitano, 130 patients undergoing LNF were included and divided into two groups: 65 with esophageal calibration and 65 without calibration. Results. The sample included 58 men (44.6%) and 72 women (55.4%), with an average age of 41 years. Hiatal hernia was the most frequent initial diagnosis (89.2%). Of the patients who underwent calibration, 76.9% tolerated an oral diet within the first 8 postoperative hours. However, statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between groups regarding the initiation time of the diet (p=0.26), duration of surgery (p=0.53), or hospital stay (p=0.36). Conclusion. Although no statistically significant differences were observed, a trend toward earlier recovery was noted in patients with esophageal calibration. Further studies with larger samples are required to explore potential clinical effects of this technique on postoperative recovery. Keywords: Laparoscopic fundoplication, esophageal calibration, oral tolerance, dysphagia, postoperative recovery.