Quality of life convergence of laparoscopic and open anti-reflux surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease

Although laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery (LARS) has become the surgical treatment of choice for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), it is unclear whether the quality of life (QoL) advantage of LARS over open anti-reflux surgery (OARS) persists in the long term. The purpose of this study was to compare long-term QoL between LARS and OARS patients. A prospectively gathered database of all patients who underwent either LARS or OARS for symptomatic GERD was reviewed. Preoperatively, patients completed the GERD- health-related quality of life (HRQL) symptom severity questionnaire (best score 0, worst score 50), and the Medical Outcome Short Form (36) (SF-36) generic bodily QoL instrument (eight domains, physical functioning, PF; role - physical, RP; role - emotional, RE; bodily pain, BP; vitality, mental health, social functioning, SF; general health, best score 100, worst score 0). Postoperatively, patients completed both questionnaires at 6 weeks and a least 1 year. Data are presented as medians and statistically analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test. A beta-error was determined to assess adequacy of sample size. A total of 289 patients underwent LARS and 124 OARS. At 6 weeks there were statistically significantly better scores for LARS in the domains of PF, RP, RE, BP and SF. However, after 1 year, there were no statistically significant differences. The beta-error for non-statistically significant differences were all < 0.2, which is considered an adequate sample size. Although LARS does produce better QoL scores in the early postoperative period, after 1 year, these scores converge.