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Quality of life after Heller-Dor's cardiomiotomy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the surgical outcomes of Heller's Cardiomyotomy with Dor fundoplication by laparoscopy (HDL) and to assess its impact on patients' quality of life and on esophageal manometry data. METHODS: 60 patients with esophageal achalasia, operated on between 2001 and 2007, were studied retrospectively. Before surgery, the demographics and the diagnostic test results were recorded. The patients submitted a dysphagia score for quality of life before and after surgery, and lower esophageal sphincter pressure (PLES) was measured. We also studied the difference produced in quality of life RESULTS: 37 women and 23 men were followed. Mean age was 41.08 (12-87). There was no mortality and no conversions. The mean time of diet resumption was 1.6 day. The outcome was considered excellent in 80% of the series and intermediate in 20% of the series. The mean dysphagia score before surgery was 9.03 points, and after surgery, 1.7 point (maximum of 10 points), p=0.0001. The mean score decrease between pre- and postoperative scores was 7.33 points (87.17%). The mean PLES before surgery was 32.41 mmHg, and 12.7 mmHg after. CONCLUSION: HDL is a safe procedure and changed significantly the subjective quality of life scores, as well as the objective PLES means.

Esophageal achalasia; Quality of life; Laparoscopy; Fundoplication


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