Quality of life after Heller-Dor's cardiomyotomy.

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.