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Nissen redone

I had the Nissen done 4 years ago after 19 years of many digestive problems. My mother died of stomach cancer when she was in her 50's . I am having symtoms again like before I had the surgery and at the moment going throught he scope tests to see if surgery is needed.  All i can say is that I felt so well after having the Nissen done. I want it again as my esophagus has more damage.They took biopsys for  The DR thought I may have barretts... As it turns out I do not have that ...yet. I want it done again to prevent getting cancer  and the way I feel know is getting worse . The dr seems to think I do not need it as the PH test came back that I ( for that one day) did not have reflux. I must have it as the symtoms I have are 100 % the same as before . sore throat, feel like I have a golf ball stuck there, chest pain and my Ashma has gotten worse. I can not eat meat as this about kills me.  I just want to know if anybody out there that has had it done again are glad they did. The dr made me feel like I did not know what I was talking about today and seems to think that being on more PPI's will make it better. ( It did not work before)


This discussion is related to Anyone have to have Nissen Fundoplication TIGHTENED???.
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Avatar universal
My husband had gerd surgery about 15-20 years ago. While he does not have reflux issues anymore he has developed lung problems which have perplexed doctors. My question is this: has anyone experienced partially collapse left lung/ low oxygen levels (he has never been a smoker) related to a too tight fundus surgery that can help us with this journey. I wonder if the pressure from this surgery have affected his lungs to this point. He has had issues for years but it has gotten much worse. His heart has been checked out for pulmonary hypertension among many other diseases. We have had an open lung biopsy recommended and I just feel like his symptoms are somehow related his gerd surgery from many years ago.any insight would be greatly appreciated! Weary in north carolina
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Avatar universal
I had a Haitian hernia and a nissen done about 4 years ago. HUGE MISTAKE.. I knew about 2 days after the surgery something was wrong. The probe they had put in my esophagus was still there. This I was suppose to pass, so back to the hospital chest X-ray the nurse asked me if I swallowed my hearing aid battery. I do not wear a hearing aid.
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Avatar universal
I had surgery 2015. was very long road first 4-5 months. a lot of discomfort and couldn't eat. then it was good for a bit. now I'm in a lot of pain can't eat or go,to bathroom throat hurts surgery area very painful.  I had hiatalhernia and Barrett disease acid erosion and precancerous cells. I. truely scared and have no insurance. please advice
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Avatar universal
That's Exactly What I Have Been Going Though! I Plan To Get In Contact With The Surgeon. After The Memorial Day Weekend. And See If He Will Be Willing To Loosen The Wrap. Thank You, For Your Input On This!
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Avatar universal
I received a Classic "Long Wrap"  Nissen Fundoplication procedure in 1997 that changed my life for the better. For the past 16 years I have never has a even single reflex incident of acid, food, or bile.

I strongly disagree with your statement advising others  that a "floppy" wrap" is the best option and that problems always ensue with a "tight wrap."

I have done extensive reading and research over the past 16 years regarding gastric fundal plication - to remedy GERD caused by a weak LES sphincter.  I will share some of what I discovered, below:

The number #1 and number #2 complaints from Nissen Fundoplication patients, post-op, has always been dysphagia and the inability to belch gas from the esophagus.  Unfortunately, without any scientific proof  showing that a "tight wrap" or a "long wrap" had anything to do with these two post-op issues, Doctors Donahue and Steven DeMeester came up with their own version of a "fix," and foisted their unfounded and theoretical modifications to Classic Nissen Fundoplication surgery (as performed by Doctor Rudilph Nissen) on a large population of the bariatric surgical community.

Classical Nissen Fundoplication Surgery, with a long and tight wrap, has a history of providing long-term successful results when performed my a well trained and competent surgeon.  Doctor Rudolph Nissen had hundreds of patients satisfied with the "long" and "tight" wrap he invented and perfected.

In my opinion, the Nissen Fundoplication "undesirable after effects" post-op are caused my either incompetent surgeons or inappropriate candidates, or a combination of both.  They are not caused by having the wrap too tight or too long.  This is an excuse for inadequate surgical training.

I myself endured 5 months of severe to moderate transitional dysphagia before my new Classic Nissen sphincter muscle valve "relaxed" enough to enable me to eat a decent meal without choking on it.  My wrap is long (6 centimeters at the "union") and has six braided polyester sutures holding the fundus halves together.  I can belch; and I can vomit to combat food or alcohol poising without damaging the durability of my wrap. My surgeon was highly trained and competent.

Anyone who believes that a Nissen Fundoplication can only last 10 years is delusional.  But, the durability is related to the experience and competence of the surgeon and the materials used. Shockingly, some surgeons today use silk or nylon sutures for Nissen surgery. Silk sutures lose 100 percent of their tensile strength after one year. Nylon is just as bad. The correct material is braided polyester sutures, in either 2-0 or 0 size. Polyester sutures maintain a tensile strength of 60,000 lbs. per square inch, indefinitely.  

Heart surgeons uses either braided polyester or stainless steel wire sutures. Why then would any bariatric surgeon provide less quality material for his Nissen Fundoplication patients???
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Avatar universal
i have barretts.i had a nissen done and it hurts when i eat chicken or pasta.it gets stuck and comes up.i have to wash it down w water. alot of water.it feels like its painfully going down my back,cutting me.i got pneumonia and vomited.it hurt and ive had pain in stomach.i think i tore or herniatedit.going to er in am.wish me luck...also yes ,drs act like ur crazy and they r really unsympathetic *****
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Avatar universal
God's Speed and Dr. Bhoyrul M.D. FRCS FACS at Scripps Hospital in San Diego
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Avatar universal
Hi, i had fundiplication surgery and a cholestomy(gall bladder remover)together 4 years ago.After the surgery all went well for the first couple of months before i could no longer eat food without constant vomiting.I was then scheduled in and had a partial reversal of the fundiplication surgery,since this second op i have a problems with my bowel,regurgitation and constant nausea,i was scheduled for a full reversal 1 year ago,the day before my surgery i had my surgeon leave and was given my case to a new doctor.He refused to do the full reversal saying it was to dangerous,I vomit everyday but have a constant battle with weight gain and abdomenal bloating,before syurgery i weighed only 45kgs i now weigh 60kgs,which i'm finding greatly depressing.i am now on the waiting list for another endoscopy.I've also been diaganosed with a irrelevant health problem requiring am mri,after an abdominal x;ray i found staples had been used internally to close the surgery.Does anyone have these problems or know whether these internal staples will have a reaction during my MRI?
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Avatar universal
I have just undergone a redo of my nissen fundoplication.  The first was in 2001.  I was suffering for severe shortness of breath and after nearly a year of tests, they attributed it to GERD.  Recovery from the surgery was normal and I was back to normal in a couple of months.  Over the next 9 years, I experienced minor recurrences which were isolated and short in duration.  I had a couple of endoscopies perforned and they all indicated that the surgery was OK.  In November 2010, it started all over again and was tested once again.  All results were deemed normal.  My GI (different than my surgeon) reran the test and got the same result.  They finally tried to attribute my symptoms to esophageal spasms with no real test to confirm the diagnosis and no real treatment other than trying an assortment of meds. I went back to the surgeon in August and between a manometry study and a pH study, he concluded that the surgery had slipped.  I had it redone in late Sept. 2011.  He told me that when he went to undo the previous surgery, he was surprised that I had not formed much scar tissue and that this was why it had failed.  Since the surgery, recovery has been hard.  He did warn me that a redo takes a lot longer to recover from than the first surgery.  About six weeks after surgery, I was getting to "more substantial food" such as tuna, chicken, etc.  I had previously eaten a chicken nugget with no problem.  When I tried it again it became stuck and would not go down.  I ended up having to go to the bathroom and caugh like I was trying to get congestion out of my chest.  It did the trick.  I now have terrible shoulder and stomach pain.  He has run a barium swallow, a CT scan and another endoscopy.  He says that I have fluid and blood build up around the surgery on the outside of it, and that this is causing all of my problems.  He claims that the body will naturally take care of this but that I have set my recovery back by a month or so.  I have tried to be patient, but I find it hard to believe that my slow recovery and my "setback" are all that there is to this surgery.  This surgeon is very well known for this procedure and he has "redos" sent to him from all over the country.  Has anyone else had problems like this?
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Avatar universal
Hi, I have had three nissan fundoplications for gerd reflux and heartburn, two nissen and one open October 2010. Just found out the last has also failed. I live near Sacramento and now have to go to San Francisco for the fundoplication where they go through your throat. I am so ticked off all three have failed. I now have gerd hearburn reflux and vomiting all over again. I think it is called incisionless fundoplication. I am freaking about it, not only is it 100 friggin miles away and my husband needs to drive me, take off tons of time off work but I hate the thoughts of this surgery. I am wondering if anyone else has had this and how you are doing now. Did you have the clips put in, the little plastic clips like in this surgery video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXS4jHCWNvo
or did you have some other procedure done. I am so ticked off that all three have failed, my surgeon is five miles away as is my hospital, now I have to travel so far and stay in a strange place, I just hate this. Thanks for any information on this. I am 60 and I am thinking just not to do anything about it, just leave it and take ppi and carry bottles of tums everywhere I go. Urg.
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Avatar universal
I had my 2nd Nissen done over 1 1/2 years ago and now have chest and shoulder pain.
Also,  a lot of flatuence.  
1.   Could wrap have migrated?
2.    Or did they make it too tight?

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Avatar universal
I also had throat clearing for years and somewhat after my surgery.  I have had three nissens if you read my posts above somewhere. I have no throat clearing now and had it for over ten years. I can eat anything again and have no reflux, no heartburn and no vomiting at all. I am FINALLY back to normal, eating and sleeping normal for the first time in years and years. Look into your surgeon and all your options first. Some people prefer to stay on the meds but I did not. Email me if you have any questions I can help you with, I have pics of the open as well as the five small incisions if you need pics to help you with it. I could not find a pic of the open nissen anywhere before my surgery grammielinda18 and then yahoo.com
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Avatar universal
After reading all of these stories has me worried out of my mind.  I had my first NISSEN on 15 Nov.  That's three weeks ago.  I was on a very soft diet for the first week (loose soups, water, juices. Then the next week I began loose mashed potatoes, soups. I graudated rather wuickly to regular food by the the third week.  I was diagnosed with Barretts and hiatal hernia about 5 years ago but probably had the hiatal hernia for over 25 years.  I am 53.  If you were diagnosed with hiatal hernia and barretts and the medication is allowing you a rather decent quality of life then DO NOT have the operation. And I say this due to reading all of the above horror stories.  The only reason why I had it is because over the last 2.5 years I developed a constant need to clear my throat due to likely acids flowing up into my larynx and inflaming my vocal chords.  It got to the point of desperation because it was causing coughs and constant throat clearing.  I asked two well-respeted surgeons in Argentina because that is where I live.  Both said that if the throat clearing is a result of the acid reflux then it would take about 3 - 6 months post surgery for it to go away.  I am 3 weeks post surgery and it is with me all day long except at night.  I can go to sleep but when I wake up it starts all over again.  Anyone else with this experience.  I am truly sorry to hear about all of the above mentioned problems and to tell you the truth I am very pessimistic about my future having had this operation.  Having an operation should always be a last resort but unfortunately doctors have different agendas and you never know if you're getting hte best opinion.  If you can manage the bad side-effects of hiatal hernia/ and GERD with meds DO NOT HAVE THIS OPERATION.  God bless all.
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Avatar universal
I am 39 yrs old.  I had a Hiatal Hernia repair 6 weeks ago.  They also did the Nissen Fundoplication and mesh.   I seemed to be doing find following the surgery as I was out of the hospital in 36 hrs, liquids for a week.  Then the problems began.  Could not keep down liquids and I was readmitted to the hospital for Barium Swallow test, which showed a tightness around the area of the wrap.  The surgeon who I talked to (it was an associate of my surgeon, as original surgeon was on vacation) told me it was swelling and I needed a  PICC line inserted for IV nutrition.  I spent another 4 days in the hospital getting this in and me stabilized on TPN. The Surgeon said this was necessary to allow the area to rest and heal.  That is should clear up in a week or two.  I spent three weeks with this line in my arm feeding me.  I am now back on liquids and waiting on my referral to another GI Dr, so he can do Endoscopy and possible dilation.   The biggest thing I now realize is, that I did not question enough before I allowed the surgery.   I was lead to believe this is very common surgery and that I needed it due to the discovery of Barretts, in July of this year.   Can anyone offer an help, insight, or advice for addressing "severe Post Op dysphasia"?   As I said I am 39, and prior to surgery, I was managing GERD fine with PPI's.   It was only due to the discovery of a hiatal hernia and the Barretts that we operated.  
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Avatar universal
I am 39 yrs old.  I had a Hiatal Hernia repair 6 weeks ago.  They also did the Nissen Fundoplication and mesh.   I seemed to be doing find following the surgery as I was out of the hospital in 36 hrs, liquids for a week.  Then the problems began.  Could not keep down liquids and I was readmitted to the hospital for Barium Swallow test, which showed a tightness around the area of the wrap.  The surgeon who I talked to (it was an associate of my surgeon, as original surgeon was on vacation) told me it was swelling and I needed a  PICC line inserted for IV nutrition.  I spent another 4 days in the hospital getting this in and me stabilized on TPN. The Surgeon said this was necessary to allow the area to rest and heal.  That is should clear up in a week or two.  I spent three weeks with this line in my arm feeding me.  I am now back on liquids and waiting on my referral to another GI Dr, so he can do Endoscopy and possible dilation.   The biggest thing I now realize is, that I did not question enough before I allowed the surgery.   I was lead to believe this is very common surgery and that I needed it due to the discovery of Barretts, in July of this year.   Can anyone offer an help, insight, or advice for addressing "severe Post Op dysphasia"?   As I said I am 39, and prior to surgery, I was managing GERD fine with PPI's.   It was only due to the discovery of a hiatal hernia and the Barretts that we operated.  
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1500443 tn?1289231056
I had a Nissen Wrap done in December of 08' and was doing well until about two months ago when I started having this pain right under my left breast almost everytime I would eat. Now, I have the pain even when I don't eat and I'm having heartburn and chest pains again to the point where I lose my voice. I had an upper endoscopy done which showed that gastritis has returned but I don't have any ulcers. The doctor says it "appears" that some sutures may have come out but I would like to know what has to be done to confirm this and will I have to have the surgery all over again? Has anyone else had this same experience and the pain I'm talking about in that area?
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Avatar universal
Hi, Iam a 59 year old female and  had my third nissen fundoplication October 14, 2010. I had an open this time, first two July 2009 and March 2010 were the five small incisions and both failed. This time I had a patch as well. It has been 19 days and still very painful. I can eat soft foods now, avoiding hard foods as toast hard grains chips etc. No meat as steak pork but only small cut up soft chicken ham etc. No heartburn as I am still taking the nexium for a month after surgery as surgeon wants me to continue that for a month. I have a huge 8 inch incision, staples were taken out the fifth day. He wanted me to stay in 8 days but it was five days and five nights, get me out of there, even tho a nice private room the beds were a killer and needing a blood sample at 4 in the morning? give me a break. I still have trouble walking and getting in and out of bed and sitting and getting up again. Have done nothing but sit and watch tv which is driving me crazy but it is so painful that is all I can do. Shower only, no bathtubs. Some swelling still, only bandages on which will fall off by themselves. No bra with underwires as it barely touches the incision so sports bras for now. I could not find a picture of an open fundoplication anywhere before the surgery. If you want I can email you a picture if you are wondering. Email me if you have questions I can help you with. I am grammielinda18 and then the at and then yahoo.com. I think if I put my email address in they delete it somehow.
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I am have this surgery next week and now don't know what to think.  My surgeon is a teaching doctor and has done over 500 of these. Still am wondering will I ever be not bloated?  I don't know, now I am frightened.
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Avatar universal
Hello: I have read this board with great interest. I am 57 years old and had a Nissen a whopping 26 years ago and will make some points. I have read almost everything there is to know on the procedure and discussed it at lenght with a lot of people. I suffered from Gas Bloat for a full 10 years post-op and thought at times it was going to kill me. When I had it scoped I was told it was a little too tight and long. Ten years later I was scoped and told it was absolutely perfect. These things do change over time but I have no idea why one would pull lose unless the stitches break which the should not.
As far as having a loose Nissen, the key to a Nissen is how the wrap is fashioned. It has to be just at the right angle or the patient will have refux. Ironically, you can take four different people, have a surgen give each the same exact surgery--one will come out too tight, one too loose, one won't help, one just right. We all have different tissue and make up and body sizes and it all contributes to the degree of success. Some are more air swallowers and some's stomachs just produce more gas.
Very few will be able to belch as freely as they once could and this may or may not present problems. In my case it did big time--I suffered dearly for many years. Now I do have a degree of IBS related symptoms that I did not have before the surgery. Before the surgery I had reflux so bad that after a meal when I leaned over food could just drain out. It was terrible. So hope that helps. I will contine to monitor. Good luck.
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I'm interested to know if you ever threw up from a stomach virus during that time. If so, what happened? I had my Nissen in July 2013. I am just now getting over a virus where I actually did end up vomiting not just heaving. I knew this was dangerous, but no amount of nausea medicines could stop it. I'm so worried that I damaged the wrap and am looking for clues to know if that's been done. I just ate my first meal, so it's too early to know if the reflux is back. Thanks!
Avatar universal
Hi, just wondering how you have been since your second. If you remember I had just had my second nissan fundoplication March 2010. Now it has failed and I am scheduled for a third, this time open October 14th, not looking forward to it of course as it is an 8 day stay he said. I was throwing up from the second one and now horrid heartburn and gerd even worse than before my first fundoplication of 2009. I had a barium swallow and tomorrow have another Esophagogastroduodenoscopy just before the surgery. I am just wishing this would all go away, a third surgery is not what I wanted at all but I am at the point where my reflux is so bad I am up throwing up acid in the middle of the night. I was retching really bad in the hospital after the second one and I think that started the wrap undoing.
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Avatar universal
Hi
Im Elsa. Just had my redo done a week ago.The first one lasted for 7 yrs and what bliss that was. The second time around I was more in pain than the first time but I think that is understandable.To top it all I got a cold two days post-op and you can imagine the pain at coughing every time.I think this is a loose wrap as with the first one I could also eat very little meat, but that did not bother me as it was better than waking up in the wee hours of the night coughing or dribbling in your undies from trying to control your coughing.
It is very prevalent in Asthma suffers. I think it has to do with the small muscle realxers that we take in via the asthmatic treatment. I am also a registered nurse with a daughter who's also asthmatic and I think she will be also suffering from GERD as she complains now already of heartburn.
I hope to post futher comment in about a month. Liquidise your food but stay away from gas forming foods. The foods taste the same just use your imagination. The fist nissen was done 10 days before christmas 2001 and I enjoyed my teaspoonful of different foods liquidised. I think one has to research in depth before going for the op.
I am experiencing the normal post-op aches and pains with a little cough to add to the pain. You should not be vomittng, as my first surgeon has warned me that that causes the tearing of the wrap due to the contractions of the stomach muscle to empty itself.Make sure your doctor has experience in this kind of surgeries because it can be quite dangerous.
Regards
ElsaRn
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Avatar universal
It has been over two months since my second fundoplication and I am still throwing up, even water sometimes. When I eat or drink I can feel it get stuck in the thinner part of my esophagus and it either squeezes through real slowly or comes back up. I throw up more than I get down, only meat I can eat is really tender ham chicken or turkey, no steak or beef or pork. I cannot go out if I have recently eaten as I have thrown up in the car driving as it decided to come back up then. The surgeon said he does not want me to have my esophagus stretched as that causes other problems. So I guess I will just do a wait and see, have to eat really really slowly and chew chew chew for now.
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Avatar universal
I had a laprascopic nissen fundopilation on 4 march this year, I have had no problems back on slid foods now, the only problem I have is every time I have a drink of lager I get a bad pain in the lower part of oesephegus just under my rib cage! anyone no what this could be??
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Avatar universal
I had a nissen done in 2005.  For the past year I've had reoccuring symptoms but the surgeon is NOT in a hurry to fix it....it is affecting my quality of life and I'm almost to the point where I don't know what to do.  They have me on several pills a day and I've done PH test after PH test....help!!!! How do I get them to fix the slipped nissen to see if my symptoms resolve!
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