Psychopathological changes after laparoscopic fundoplication for GERD

The most recent issues of the Diseases of the Esophagus investigates psychopathological changes on quality of life after laparoscopic fundoplication for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux.

Dr Díaz de Liaño and colleagues from Spain analyzed the influence of psychological changes, as assessed by the General Health Questionnaire-28, on patients undergoing surgery for gastroesophageal reflux.

The research team evaluated in a series of 103 consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic fundoplication.

All patients experienced an improvement in their quality of life

Diseases of the Esophagus

In addition to functional studies, patients completed the SF-36, Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index, and General Health Questionnaire-28 before surgery.

Functional tests and questionnaires were repeated 6 months after surgery.

Patients were also questioned about their degree of satisfaction.

Postoperative results of patients with a normal General Health Questionnaire-28, and patients showing psychopathological changes as defined by the General Health Questionnaire-28 questionnaire before surgery were compared.

The researchers found that all patients experienced an improvement in their quality of life.

The team found that 41 patients showed a pathological result in the preoperative General Health Questionnaire-28 questionnaire.

No differences were found in functional results and degree of satisfaction with surgery between patients with normal and pathological results in the preoperative General Health Questionnaire-28 questionnaire.

However, patients with a pathological result in the preoperative General Health Questionnaire-28 had poorer results in all domains of the postoperative Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index, and the Short Form-36 quality of life questionnaires.

Dr de Liaño's team concluded, “Patients with pathological results in the preoperative General Health Questionnaire-28 had poorer results in terms of postoperative quality of life despite having normal postoperative physiological studies”

“This decreased quality of life did not have an impact on the degree of satisfaction with surgery performed.”

“The General Health Questionnaire-28 does not therefore appear to serve as a predictor of postoperative satisfaction.”