title: Quality of life assessment after peroral endoscopic myotomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) is a promising treatment option for motor disorders of the esophagus. The purpose of this study was to assess quality of life (QOL) postoperatively.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients who presented to our institution for surgical treatment of achalasia after 2011 were asked to complete QOL (SF-36), dysphagia, reflux severity index, and GERD questionnaires in clinic preoperatively and postoperatively at approximately 3 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Those patients who underwent a POEM procedure (n = 37) demonstrated a significant improvement in dysphagia scores, reflux severity scores, and GERD scores (p < 0.05) at each time point. SF-36 questionnaires specifically demonstrated a significant improvement in several concepts. At 3 weeks, emotional well-being scores were significantly higher (p = 0.006). At 6 months, the following concepts were significantly higher: emotional well-being (p = 0.039), social functioning (p = 0.038), and general health (p = 0.029). At 1 year, the following concepts were significantly higher: role limitations due to physical health (p = 0.001) and social functioning (p = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a significant improvement in several measures of QOL after POEM, which is comparable to that seen after laparoscopic Heller myotomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Minimally Invasive Surgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem, 2650 Ridge Ave, Evanston, IL, 60201, USA, yalini.vigneswaran@uchospitals.edu.
authors.forename: Yalini
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vigneswaran
authors.forename: Ryota
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gitelis
authors.forename: Joann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carbray
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ujiki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires