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Aim of the Study: To assess the quality of life (QoL) of patients operated for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)., Patients and Methods: This prospective study included 82 consecutive patients submitted to antireflux surgery between October 1998 and January 1999. A new questionnaire was used to assess their QoL: the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) that includes 36 items concerning 5 dimensions: symptoms, vitality, emotions, social relations and medical treatment. The series consisted of 44 men and 38 women with a mean age of 47 years (range: 18-78). QoL was assessed before and 6 months after surgery; the follow-up rate was 94% (77/82). The pre- and postoperative GIQLI scores of the study group and the GIQLY score of a control group of 110 healthy patients were compared., Results: Before surgery, the GIQLI score (90 +/- 23) was greatly impaired compared to the score (123 +/- 13) observed in the control group (p < 0.001). After surgery, the GIQLI score (110 +/- 23) increased significantly (p < 0.001), but remained statistically lower than the score of the control group (p < 0.001). The postoperative score recorded in the symptoms dimension was lower than the control group score: 55 +/- 11 versus 66 +/- 6 (p < 0.001), while no significant difference was observed in the other 4 dimensions. Univariate statistical analysis revealed that the postoperative GIQLI score (y) was correlated with the preoperative GIQLI score (x) according to the formula: y = 0.43 x + 71 (p < 0.001) and the sex of the patients, as the postoperative GIQLI score was higher in male patients (115 +/- 19) than in female patients (103 +/- 23) (p < 0.02)., Conclusion: The QoL of the patients was greatly improved after antireflux surgery, but remained lower than that of a control group of healthy subjects. Better patient selection should improve the results. In our series, male patients or patients with a high preoperative GIQLI score were the best candidates for antireflux surgery.

Between October 1992 and September 1994, 70 patients presenting with primary unilateral hernia were randomly assigned to either a transabdominal preperitoneal laparoscopic (group L) repair (n = 35) with a 3 x 5 inch polypropylene mesh or a conventional Shouldice repair (group S) (n = 35). The series consisted of 60 men and 10 women, with a median age of 56 years and a BMI of 24. We used the Nyhus classification; there were 25 type 2, 24 type 3a and 21 type 3b hernias. Preoperative characteristics of both groups were equivalent. When comparing group L to group S, we noted a similar operative time (65 +/- 20 min) and a similar postoperative hospital stay (3.8 +/- 1.3 days). The postoperative pain that was evaluated on a visual analogue scale (score from 0 to 10) was lower in group L. On the first and third postoperative day, the mean score was 3.4 +/- 1.5 and 1.3 +/- 1.4 in (group L compared) to 5.3 +/- 1.9 (p < 0.001) and 2.8 +/- 1.8 (p < 0.005) in group S. Significant morbidity occurred in 7 patients of group L: 3 seromas and 4 cases of orchitis, and in 5 patients of group S: 1 wound abcess, 2 cases of chronic neuralgia and 2 cases of orchitis. We recorded a quicker return to home activities in group L: 6 +/- 2 versus 10 +/- 4 days (p < 0.05) in group S but time off work was similar in both groups (30 +/- 9 days). All patients were evaluated in April 1996: the median follow-up was 30 months (range: 19-42 months). We recorded 1 recurrence in group L and 3 in group S. Statistical analysis revealed that the recurrence rate, for patients older than 50 and presenting with type 3 hernia, was higher in group S (3/14 = 21%) than in group L (0/13 = 0%). In conclusion, compared to Shouldice repair, laparoscopic herniorrhaphy is associated with less postoperative pain, a quicker return to everyday activities and an equivalent postoperative morbidity. In our series, the recurrence rate was even lower for patients older than 50 with type 3 hernia.

To evaluate the respiratory morbidity resulting from myocardial revascularization with internal mammary artery (IMA) graft, we reviewed 153 patients operated on between April and November 1988. There were 124 men with a mean age of 61 years. A bilateral IMA graft was used in 30 patients (20%). During the harvesting of the mammary graft, the homolateral pleura was systematically opened. Acute respiratory failure was more frequent in patients with bilateral IMA (13%) than in patients with unilateral IMA graft (3%) (p less than 0.05). Consequently, the mean duration of mechanical ventilation was longer in patients with bilateral IMA graft: 56 versus 23 hours (p less than 0.05). Lung volume measurements were altered according to a restrictive pattern. On the 9th post-operative day, forced vital capacity was reduced to 59.6% of the pre-operative value in patients with unilateral IMA and to 47.1% in patients with bilateral IMA graft (p less than 0.001). Late results were obtained in 111 patients. After a mean follow-up of 7 months, forced vital capacity was still reduced to 86.8% of the pre-operative value in patients with single IMA and to 78.1% in patients with bilateral IMA graft (p less than 0.001). In conclusion, respiratory morbidity is not negligible. Bilateral IMA grafting should generally be reserved to young patients (less than 65 years) with normal pre-operative pulmonary function tests.