Quality of life in patients with esophagojejunal anastomosis after total gastrectomy for cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the influence of the esophagojejunostomy type (Roux-en-Y end-to-end or end-to-side, omega, manual or mechanic), of the associated resections and postoperative complications, on patients' Quality of Life (QoL) after total gastrectomy for cancer.


METHODS
From 1997 to 2004 63 patients underwent a total gastrectomy for cancer. Patients were invited to fill a questionnaire with 14 treatment-specific related symptoms at 3 and respectively 12 months postoperatively. The present study comprises 39 patients, all without cancer recurrence, who completed all required items.


RESULTS
The QoL was not influenced by the patients' age and gender, associated resections or by the esophagojejunostomy type. Anastomotic fistula significantly influenced patients' appetite at 3 months (p=0.013). At 12 months postoperatively there was a significant difference between the patients' body weight when end-to-end anastomosis were compared to end-to-side anastomosis (p=0.023). The patients' QoL improved in a significant manner at 12 months postoperatively, compared to their QoL at 3 months.


CONCLUSIONS
After total gastrectomy for cancer, patients' QoL is not significantly influenced by the type of the esophagojejunostomy. The end-to-end esojejunal anastomosis seems to have a less deleterious effect on the postoperative weight loss. Anastomotic fistula remains the only complication with some influence on patients' QoL in the first postoperative months.
Scurtu
Razvan
R
1st Surgical Clinic, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 1-3 Clinicilor St., Cluj-Napoca, Romania. rrscurtu@yahoo.com
Groza
Nicoleta
N
Otel
Ovidiu
O
Goia
Alcora
A
Funariu
Gheorghe
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D004947:Esophagus / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007583:Jejunum / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome