Fundoplication question

  • Thread starter Thread starter MountainReader
  • Start date Start date
M

MountainReader

Guest
I had a Nissen Fundoplication to prevent reflux a year ago. I got a viral infection a couple days ago and had repeated episodes of vomiting. Up to now, I have been unable to vomit. Now I'm worried that the wrap may have slipped allowing for the vomiting or that the force of all the vomiting may have pulled my stitches. From what I understand, an Endoscopy is really the only way to confirm this.

I'm really stressed about this. I've had my reflux under control for a year and the procedure was literally lifesaving for me because of how badly the acid had been irritating my lungs and triggering serious asthma attacks.

Any advice on this would be welcome.
 
Generally stitches that are put outside the body are removed after the cut heals, stitches inside the body dissolve over time, making the need for removal not needed.

Pretty sure after a year, the stitches are long gone.
 
Thanks wacky,

In this case the stitches are supposed to be permanent. With the Nissen Fundoplication, your stomach is wrapped around your esophagus and stitched into place with special stitches to hold it in its new position. The purpose of the surgery is to function as your LES does. Every time your stomach contracts, it contracts around the esophagus to keep acid from coming up into the esophagus. As a side effect of the surgery, food/vomit shouldn't be coming up either. Gas is another issue, some gas can come back up, but most doesn't either.

The surgery was extremely successful for me and I've had my reflux under control. If I did anything to my stitches, it could undo what the surgery did.

I saw my GI Specialist today. He said that I should just watch for any signs of my reflux getting worse again. In my case, the reflux is "silent". When the irritation gets bad, I get a chronic cough and horrible asthma from the lung irritation from the acid. I'm already on 60mg of delayed release Kapidex daily so even if the reflux comes back, there really isn't anything else they can do. I exhaused all the other treatment possibilities prior to surgery. When it was at its worst, my reflux triggered a life-threatening asthma attack. One of my biggest fears is of the reflux coming back like it used to be.

All I can do right now is to wait things out to see if symptoms eventually reappear. I just wish I knew what the chances were that I did damage last weekend.
 
Back
Top