Pathophysiological disorders, quality of life evaluation and recommendations after total resection of the stomach

Abstract

In recent years, attention has been paid to the quality of life of patients after resection of the stomach as an additional factor of the therapeutic procedure. However, the consequences of total resection of the stomach (especially distant ones) and the influence of different methods of reconstruction of the alimentary tract on patients' quality of life are still controversial.

This article sums up the current state of knowledge of patients' quality of life after total resection of the stomach. The first part discusses the pathophysiological disorders which occur after such operations. This will allow the reader to better understand the symptoms which may possibly occur and then decide on the appropriate procedure to improve the patient's everyday function. The subsection on the evaluation of the quality of life on the basis of literature discusses the following problems: questionnaire research, laboratory investigations, endoscopic examinations, and morphological/his-tological examinations.

The final part of the paper is a collection of available recommendations to patients after total resection of the stomach. They refer to: optimisation of the diet, prevention of deficiencies, and follow-up examinations, all of which may influence the quality of life.