OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to get a comprehensive picture of the life quality of patients after lower limb reconstruction vascular surgery, find correlation between the extent of pain and the life quality determining factors.

METHODS: A quantitative, cross-sectional study has been carried out at the University of Pécs Clinical Centre, Vascular Surgery Clinic between September 2017 and February 2018. Non-randomized sampling was used to aim a target group of patients after lower limb reconstruction surgery. A preoperative assessment was made on the day before surgery and a postoperative one 3-6 weeks after operation during control examinations (N=54). VascuQoL-25 inventory, numeric pain scale and a self-edited questionnaire was used focused on socio-demographic data and risk factors. Statistical analysis – descriptive statistics, paired and unpaired T-tests, linear regression (p<0.05) - was made by MS Office Excel 2013.

RESULTS: Mean age of the group: 64.8 years. From the patients 22 was smoking, 17 had diabetes. Mean score of the VascuQoL was 87.41±28.66 preoperative, 114.80±36.33 postoperative (p<0.001). Answers in question groups Pain, Symptoms, Activities, Social and Emotional factors showed significant results (p<0.001). Patients mean preoperative pain scores were 6.05, postoperative 4.24 (p<0.001). Pain showed correlation with activities and social factors both times. Postoperative assessment resulted in positive, moderately strong relation between physical activity and fatigue (r=0.65, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Patients quality of life has been significantly better after surgery. After the operation, with the reduction of pain, the walking ability, general physical load, social life improved, time spent with family and friends increased. VascuQoL proved to be an accurate, sensitive tool for examining quality of life, with limited usability in clinical practice because its expanse. A shortened version with aspescts of comorbidity and surgery types would be more applicable in the practice.