Total gastrectomy is a popular procedure in gastric cancer and longterm survivors are increasing. Therefore, the quality of life after total gastrectomy has received great concern.
We investigated the quality of life with use of questionaires including Spritzer's quality of life index and some specific variables in 100 patients who underwent total gasterectomy by one surgeon and survived without the evidence of recurrence.
The
reconstruction after total gastrectomy was done by end to side loop esophagojejeunostomy with afferent loop occlusion. We grouped the patients into two groups(group 1(n=47): 12~24 months after operation, group 2(n=53): over 24 months after
operation).
Two groups were comparable with regard to age, sex, and pathological staging. The frequency of diet per day was significantly higher in group 1(3.9 times) than group 2(3.3 times). The amount of each meal was significantly much in group 2 and
postoperative weight gainers than group 1 and weight losers, respectively. But no difference was found in the frequency of diet between weight gainers and weight losers. There was no significant difference in appetite, dysphagia, vomiting,
dumping
syndrome, and reflux symptoms between group 1 and 2. Total score of Spitzer's quality of life index was significantly higer in group 2(8.4) than group 1(7.1).
As a conclusion, the quality of life increased as times go by in totally gasrectomized patients. So total gastrectomy which is reconstructed by end to side loop esophagojejunostomy with afferent loop obstruction is a satisfactory procedure in
terms
of
cure and quality of life of gastric cancer patients.
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