NISSAN SURGERY

FIVE YEARS AGO I HAD NISSAN SURGERY DONE WITH A SCOPE.  TWO YEARS AGO HAD PANCREATIS (pancreatitis) AND GALLSTONES.  REMOVED GALLBLADDER.
HAD EMERGENCY SURGERY FOR HERNIA THAT HAD WENT THROUGHT STOMACH
LINING (ALL LAYERS OF LINING)SOMETHING BLOCKED THE OPENING AND NO BLOOD WAS BEING CIRCULATED THROUGH OUT THE BODY. THIS WAS ONLY 10 WEEKS AGO. THEY ARE NOW TELLING ME THAT THE NISSAN HAS COME LOOSE AND NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. I FEEL SICK AT MY STOMACH ALL THE TIME AND DO GET SICK.  MY STOMACH SWELLS AS THE DAY GOES ON.  THE TESTS SHOWED EXCESS BILE IN MY STOMACH.THEY WANT TO DO THE NISSAN AGAIN BUT NOT WITH A SCOPE.  SAYING THEY WILL HAVE TO SPREAD RIB CAGE AND BREAK BREAST BONE.  ALSO I HAVE A HETIAL HERNIA.  MY QUESTION IS THE FOLLOWING THINGS.  WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN YOU HAVE EXCESS BILE?  ALSO DO THEY NEED TO FIX THE HETIAL HERNIA AT THE SAME TIME THEY DO THE NISSAN SURGERY AGAIN?  THEY ARE CALLING THIS HIGH RISK SURGERY, WHY? THEY TRIED USING PROTONIX AND REGLAN TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT IT ISN'T TAKING CARE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ME INPUT ON THIS.  I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND ALL OF THIS.  I'M ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH RETAINING FLUIDS.  THEY HAVE INCREASED MY MEDICATION FROM 10 TO 50. I JUST WANT TO FEEL BETTER AND GET RID OF STOMACH SWELLING UP ALL THE TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT IN THIS MATTER.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Without knowing the details of your case, it is difficult to make specific recommendations.  If medications such as Protonix and Reglan are not controlling your symptoms, surgery would be the next step.  The failure rate of a Nissen fundoplication would range between 2 to 17 percent depending on the study.  It may be possible that the hiatal hernia may need to be repaired as well if it is contributing to your reflux.  

As for a "high risk" surgery - that would depend on your co-morbidities.  Certainly the risk would increase if you also had heart disease or diabetes for instance.

If you are not comfortable with the procedure, you may want to inquire about another opinion.    

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
Medical Weblog:
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