Quality of life outcome study of children that had undergone surgery for oesophageal atresia with or without a tracheo-oesophageal fistula

Oesophageal atresia/tracheo-oesophageal fistula (OA/TOF) can lead to early complications such as premature delivery, feeding problems, and mortality, meaning immediate postnatal surgery is required. This retrospective study aims to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) of patients operated for OA/TOF in South Wales over the last 10 years using a modified version of the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) to assess QoL. The GIQLI explores different aspects of QoL, including symptoms, physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. Participants' parents were contacted over the phone inviting them to participate in this study, with the 35 questions asked over the phone or sent to participants' parents by email. Each question has an option of 5 answers scored 0-4, with a higher score given to the answer indicating better QoL. The maximum possible score for this study with 35 questions was 140. Thirty-eight patients took part in this study, with an overall mean GIQLI score of 106 out of 140 (76%). CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that OA/TOF patients have adequate post-surgical quality of life. However, this study was limited by a lack of previous research, as well as a limited number of participants for types A, B, D, and E. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Oesophageal atresia/tracheo-oesophageal fistula (OA/TOF) is a condition requiring immediate postnatal surgery and is associated with significant complications in early life. WHAT IS NEW: • This data collected in this study indicates that OA/TOF patients who have undergone surgery in South Wales have an adequate quality of life. • This study adds new data into a limited area of research.