Quality of life after esophageal replacement in children.
PURPOSE
Assessing quality of life (QoL) after esophageal replacement (ER) for long gap esophageal atresia (LGEA).


METHODS
All patients after ER for LGEA with gastric pull-up (GPU n = 9) or jejunum interposition (JI n = 14) at the University Medical Center Groningen and Utrecht (1985-2007) were included. QoL was assessed with 1) gastrointestinal-related QoL using the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI)), 2) general QoL (Child Health questionnaire CHF87-BREF (children)/World Health Organization questionnaire WHOQOL-BREF (adults)), and 3) health-related QoL (HRQoL) (TNO AZL TACQoL/TAAQoL). Association of morbidity (heartburn, dysphagia, dyspnea on exertion, recurrent cough) and (HR)QoL was evaluated.


RESULTS
Six patients after GPU (75%) and eight patients after JI (57%) responded to the questionnaires (mean age 15.7, SD 5.9, 12 male, two female). Mean gastrointestinal, general and health-related QoL total scores of the patients were comparable to healthy controls. However, young adults reported a worse physical functioning (p = 0.02) but better social functioning compared to peers (p = 0.01). Morbidity was not associated with significant differences in (HR)QoL.


CONCLUSIONS
With the current validated QoL most patients after ER with GPU and JI for LGEA have normal generic and disease specific QoL scores. Postoperative morbidity does not seem to influence (HR)QoL.


TYPE OF STUDY
Prognosis Study.


LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
III.
['Gallo|Gabriele|G|', 'van Tuyll van Serooskerken|E S|ES|', 'Tytgat|S H A J|SHAJ|', 'van der Zee|D C|DC|', 'Keyzer-Dekker|C M G|CMG|', 'Zwaveling|S|S|', 'Hulscher|J B F|JBF|', 'Groen|H|H|', 'Lindeboom|M Y A|MYA|']
D000293:Adolescent D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical D002648:Child D004933:Esophageal Atresia D004944:Esophagoplasty D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D011788:Quality of Life D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D055815:Young Adult
Quality of life Esophageal replacement Long gap esophageal atresia Gastric pull-up Jejunal interposition