Key findings
Due to the social complaints, there is a remarkable decline in HRQoL 2 weeks postoperative. Eventually, patients will have a significant improvement in their HRQoL 3 months and 1 year postoperatively.
We found that a higher ASA score, a higher preoperative EES-Q score and the use of postoperative antibiotics resulted in a more distinct improvement of postoperative HRQoL. Tumour extent was not a significant predictor of postoperative HRQoL. Neither was surgical invasiveness, nor the other measured variables.
These results may lead the surgeon to discuss these issues preoperatively. Moreover, it suggests a better healing process with postoperative antibiotics. Lastly, it questions whether surgical conservatism should be pursued indiscriminately in this disease, as we do not measure a difference in HRQoL outcome.