Aim: To assess the long-term quality of life (QoL) and symptoms experienced by patients who underwent esophageal replacement for congenital and acquired children esophageal pathology.
Material and methods: The study group comprised 71 patients divided into 2 groups, group I: 34 patients who underwent gastric tube esophagoplasty, and group II: 37 patients who underwent colic tube esophagoplasty. QoL score was assessed using a 24-item original questionnaire covering aspects of eating, disease-specific symptoms, physical and psychological development, and social integration.
Results: QoL scores based on patient and parental responses were very close. Long-term postoperative functional outcomes for the two groups were comparable.
Conclusions: The QoL scores and general life status were not influenced by the used technique and this pathology should be approached according to the particularity of each case and surgeon's personal experience and preference.