Impact of Endoscopic Vacuum-Assisted Closure on Quality of Life in Patients After Treatment of Gastrointestinal Leaks

Endoscopic Vacuum Assisted Wound Closure (EVAC) is an effective therapeutic option to treat Gastrointestinal (GI) leaks after the surgery. Prior to EVAC, conventional approaches to treat leaks included surgical intervention or endoscopic stents. Even though EVAC has been in use for more than a decade and has proven to be successful in treating GI leaks, the long-term quality of life impact of this treatment is uncertain. With the use of a short form (SF-36) survey, a validated questionnaire to assess both physical and mental health, the long-term impact of EVAC on the quality of life was evaluated. When assessing the long-term quality of life for patients who are at least 2 years out from their sentinel surgery, the EVAC group scored higher in all 8 quality of life domains with 4 domains reaching statistical significance as compared with conventional therapy group which received other treatments for leak management.