Swallowing Dysfunction and Quality of Life in Adults With Surgically Corrected Esophageal Atresia/Tracheoesophageal Fistula as Infants: Forty Years of Follow-up.
The aim of the study was to evaluate and study the full spectrum of swallowing dysfunction and long-term disease-specific outcomes in adults with surgically corrected esophageal atresia/tracheaesophageal fistula (EA/TEF).



Long-term outcomes for adults who underwent EA/TEF repair because infants are lacking.



We developed a disease-specific swallowing dysfunction questionnaire (SDQ) to assess swallowing dysfunction and quality of life (QOL) of adult patients with surgically corrected EA/TEF. Patients were surveyed with the newly developed SDQ and with a generic QOL tool (36-Item Short Form Health Survey).



Ninety-seven patients underwent EA/TEF repair at our institution from 1950 to 1997. Forty-six (61%) patients completed the survey. Median follow-up was 40 years (range 18-63). Results suggest that some degree of swallowing dysfunction is common (82%), worse with hard consistencies (70%), and is associated with frequently needing sips of liquids to facilitate swallowing (75%). The presence of swallowing dysfunction was, however, often mild and did not seem to affect patients' food choices, or their day-to-day activities. QOL did not differ from that of the general population, regardless of the presence or absence of swallowing dysfunction. The presence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (26%), esophageal stricture (39%), or both (15%) does not account for all situations of swallowing dysfunction, nor does it significantly impact QOL.



Swallowing dysfunction is common in adults who underwent EA/TEF repair as infants; however, patients reported minimal effect on QOL or day-to-day activities. The SDQ is a valid and reliable tool to measure the full spectrum of swallowing dysfunction in the EA/TEF repair population.
Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
Waleed
W
Gibreel
Benjamin
B
Zendejas
Ryan M
RM
Antiel
Geoffrey
G
Fasen
Christopher R
CR
Moir
Abdalla E
AE
Zarroug
D000328:Adult; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004933:Esophageal Atresia / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000150:complications; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014138:Tracheoesophageal Fistula / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome