Association between persistent symptoms and long-term quality of life after laparoscopic total fundoplication.
BACKGROUND
We investigated which factors are significantly associated with long-term quality of life after laparoscopic total fundoplication in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.


METHODS
Patients (n = 144) were given a standardized frequency-intensity symptoms questionnaire and the Short-Form 36 Health Survey for quality-of-life evaluation before and after laparoscopic total fundoplication.


RESULTS
At follow-up evaluation (n = 102), patients had a significant reduction in their symptoms score and no deterioration in quality of life. A significant association with postoperative dysphagia for solids and/or liquids was found in the physical component summary score of the Short-Form 36 administered to patients postoperatively (P = .003).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, laparoscopic total fundoplication was a safe and effective surgical treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease, generally offering an improved long-term quality of life, with the exception of a minority of patients (6 of 102 patients; 5.8%) who experienced persistent severe dysphagia.
Amato
Giuseppe
G
Division of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
Limongelli
Paolo
P
Pascariello
Annalisa
A
Rossetti
Gianluca
G
Del Genio
Gianmattia
G
Del Genio
Alberto
A
Iovino
Paola
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D018662:Fundoplication / Q000379:methods*; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011788:Quality of Life; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires