Repair of Experimental Hiatal Hernia in Dogs

THE SURGICAL repair of esophageal hiatal hernia is currently a controversial subject. During recent years various new operations have been suggested in an effort to overcome some of the deficiencies of existing techniques. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of some of these new procedures in restoring normal anatomy and gastroesophageal competence in the presence of a weakened inferior esophageal sphincter. Emphasis has been placed on objective data, particularly intraluminal pressures, and cinefluoroscopic observations.

Methods  Adult mongrel dogs weighing 8 to 14 kg (17.6 to 30.9 1b) were used in this study. The surgical procedures were carried out with aseptic technique. The animals were under general anesthesia (ether or sodium pentobarbital, 25 mg/kg body weight) and were artificially ventilated. They were fed milk 24 hours after operation, and their diet gradually progressed from canned meat to a normal kennel diet after one week. Postoperative evaluation was