Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Fundoplication Reversal

Hi everyone, I'm trying to find out as much information as possible on having fundoplication surgery reversed.
I had this surgery not so long ago. Without going into too much detail a series of events and mistakes made by myself and others led me to believe that having this surgery would be a good idea. My reflux wasn't that bad at all really and the medication was working well.I had a small sliding Hiatal Hernia so I still had occasional reflux on the medication but it was more like a gas with no acids or liquids really and all of my other symptoms had gone despite not taking my diet and lifestyle changes that seriously.

Now I'm sure this surgery helps a lot of people with severe reflux that cannot be controlled well with medication and lifestyle changes but I have to say that in my case all of the complications or side effects associated with the procedure are 50 times worse and harder to live with that what the surgeon described to me himself after reviewing my 24 hr PH study as mild reflux.

I'm very keen to have this operation reversed and would love to here from anyone anywhere who has managed to have a full reversal. I would love to know if the bloating and abdominal pain has gone or improved. if you can burp freely whenever you need to ( something I totally underestimated the importance of in my case ), if your bowels have improved and if your reflux returned any worse than before having the operation.

Also I live in Australia, so if anyone down under has had this operation reversed or is looking into it please help me out with any information you may have.

I feel this operation is being marketed by some practitioners as a convenient thing to have done to avoid taking medication each day. Something I have learnt the hard way and wish someone had said to me is this operation is a big deal and the recovery time can be very long. Take your diet and lifestyle changes very seriously and only consider surgery if your reflux is bad and when you have tried every other option available with no success.    

Thank you,
Gastroboy.  

  



              
45 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Who is your surgeon that released your nf?  I believe I have some of the same rejection feelings.  one week after my surgery I was doubled over in severe pain in my left side.  And I still have pain in that side . Its as if something has been torn there. I also still have acid reflux, my surgery did not repair this for me. I would love to have mine reversed. I had my surgery Feb 2013. I still have lots of bloating and gas and pain in the stomach.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for posting all of your trials and tribulations with your surgery.  I am considering recommendation by my doctor to have the nissen fundoplication as well but am very wary.  After reading your experience and everyone's comments I am even more wary.  After some research on doing the hiatal closure WITHOUT doing a fundoplication, I did find some articles written by doctors at the University of Heidelburg on doing hiatal closures WITHOUT the fundoplication and having good success.  Here is the link to a very recent abstract of one of the articles on PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23670038    Even before researching this I had my doubts about rushing into the fundoplication -- it just seems like such a clunky kluge way to fix a very delicate mechanical problem.  I do have a large 6cm hiatal hernia and paraesophageal mixed hernia at that, but I think what needs to be determined before surgery is how functional the esophagus actually is despite the hernia as it is different for each patient.  Even someone with a large paraesophageal hernia like me can have some functionality left to the esophagus.  Getting the hiatal closure performed with a biologic mesh support of the closure seems to make sense but some articles I've read indicate that another test of the competence of the esophagus should be performed after the hiatal closure but before the fundoplication to see if the fundoplication is really necessary.  Finding a doctor who will only do the hiatal closure without the fundoplication in the US is difficult, however.  I may have to go to Europe I guess!   Another area of research I'm interested in is why they can't reengineer the phrenoesophageal ligament -- it is the ligament that surrounds the esophagus and anchors it to the diaphragm from both above and below in an elastic fashion -- a true support system that is mostly destroyed in those of us with hiatal hernias.  Restoring that ligament using sophisticated tissue engineering would seem the way to go -- if they can restore valves in hearts why can't they restore this most important part of the anatomy also.  Anyway, please continue to post Gastroboy -- I really hope you get some satisfaction and compensation for all of your difficulties as it does sound like your surgeon's skill was deficient.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi everyone,

First I would like to apologise for not for not keeping up to date with the posts on this site. The truth is I have been trying to put all of this behind me and carry on with my life, however going through it all like many others here have I feel obligated to let others know my opinion on this surgery and what I was and wasn't told by the surgeon before and after my operation.

First I would say, if your reflux is not severer, if it responds well to medication and diet changes don't even consider having the surgery, even if your doctor or surgeon recommends you do -  why not have the surgery, here are some points my surgeon felt I didn't need to know when making my decision -

The surgery may not be permanent - It may only be effective for a number of years and here is a very important point that you may not be told - In order to do this surgery they destroy all of you bodies natural reflux barriers so when the lifespan of the operation is over your reflux may be worse than it was before having the surgery as your natural reflux barriers may no longer work. I think this is a very important point to consider especially if a person does not have severe reflux prior to surgery.

Next point - it is a major operation, I was told 2 - 3 week recovery prior to surgery by my surgeon, one month after surgery feeling very sick he started saying 6 weeks recovery - but he suspected that my recovery would take way longer. After months of feeling very sick and having all sorts of complications I lost faith in my surgeon and went to get a second opinion from another surgeon - this is when I started to learn of all the lies and crap I had been told before and after my operation by the surgeon that did my operation, here are some of them -

First up - my test results indicated I definitely did not need this surgery because my PH study score could not have been any lower.

Second - I was informed by the surgeon I was seeking a second opinion from that they tell there patients the recovery time is around 6 months and you can still be recovering at 12 months post surgery - I was told 2 - 3 weeks by my surgeon ?

Third - I had all sorts of complications after the surgery that my surgeon insisted were in no way connected with the operation an were new problems.
The complications were - bad nausea, vertigo / fainting feelings, extreme bloating & abdominal pain for hours, IBS type bowels, pulling tightness in my throat,  the new surgeon informed me that they were indeed all caused by the  surgery and ordered some tests to see what was going on. I had a gastric emptying study done and they found that I now have gastro paralysis and problems with food and liquid passing down my oesophagus.

It has been almost 16 months, I have more complications that impact on my quality of life now that mild reflux ever did although I have recovered to the point where I'm trying to get on with my life regardless because I can't turn back time and not have the surgery. The other point that the new surgeon made about having the wrap undone was It might lead to having severe reflux in the future as all of my natural reflux barriers were destroyed to make the wrap, I wanted my wrap undone but the new surgeon informed me that the problems I have now would not be fixed by undoing the wrap and doing more surgery might make things worse not better.

I hope BeFit1 was informed completely about the reversal maybe leading to bad reflux in the future - hope this never happens and you continue to do well. Like yourself my surgery was never needed and the test results proved this only the surgeon must have felt I didn't need to know any of this and wanted to do the surgery regardless, I know this may sound hard to believe but it is the truth and I must now live with the outcome.

I'm in the process of making complaints, so can't discuss all of this in a lot of detail online. My advice would be postpone the surgery and take all of your test results and get a seconds opinion to make sure you are being told all of the facts and if you even need this operation because once you have it you will never be able to go back to the way you were before the surgery, they move the position of your stomach inside your body for ever.

   dandd4444 contact me privately through this site if you want.



Gastroboy.

    


    

      

      

Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Hi Gastroboy, My mum is going through the exact same symptoms as yourself .
Her quality of her life has gone 
She has been to emergency several times each year.
Can you please reply so I can ask you a few more questions?

kind Regards Chantelle
Avatar universal
Hi, gastroboy
Can I ask where in Victoria did you get yor NF done. I am booked for my operation next friday 10.05.13  and i am in Victoria and I have got to say I did feel reasonably comfortable about the choice to have the op but reading these posts and info on the net I am now feeling very anxious.
I really hope it gets better for you.

I have been on meds for 4 years and often wake up choking from the reflux and acid in my throat - meds have had no impact. I also have a h/hernia that will be fixed during operation but given the trust I have placed in my doctor, maybe I need to discuss a partial fundo (I was not aware of such a thing) which worries me given the talking about lack of information provided by doctors.

Maybe I am just getting worried because its so close but maybe I need more info, I just cant keep choking on my own body acid either. Wht to do???
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello, my story is very similar yours.  I had frequent heartburn (4yrs) and was diagnosed with Gerd.  I took PPI's that worked well (when I took them) but it became worse and I had my Gastro Doc perform an Endoscope that revealed an 4-5 cm Hiatal hernia.  He also performed an upper GI that confirmed that it was an "Sliding Hiatal hernia".  He then performed an Esophageal manometry that revealed good esophageal pressures but the Sliding Hiatal hernia was causing a small sliding stomach like sack that was stuck in my chest cavity (when I laid down) that left my LES open that cause acid erosion.  Once we had all the info we decided to have the Hiatai hernia repaired (without the mesh) and I was told that a 360 degree fundoplication was needed to stop further possible Hiatal hernias and that it would fix all my Gerd symptoms.  I had the surgery In Jan 2013 and had the common side effects (no burping, no vomitting, IBS, gas and flatuation).  At six weeks post op  I started have extreme pain in the area of the fundoplication.  It felt like I was being stabbed with a knife.  I was doubled over and nothing would relieve my pain.  I went to the emergency room and the performed a drink swallow test that revealed nothing.  Then my Doc ordered a CT scan and I also requested an ultra sound of my liver and gallbladder area because the pain also radiated to my right side.  The results where my gallbladder was extremely diseased (gallstones, sludge, lesions and ready to pop).  He then performed emergency surgery to pull the gallbladder.  I had eight more attacks (in a two week period) after surgery and discover my body was rejecting the fundoplication.  I went to my surgeon and requested the removal (release) of the fundoplication and he performed the release surgery in march 2013.  I AM 100% BETTER!!!  It was the best thing that I ever did!!!  I am feeling great and I believe that the fundoplication surgery was not needed but the Hiatal hernia repair & gallbladder was my problem all along.  The fundoplication surgery is an out-dated procedure and should not be performed.  Our natural body anatomy is the way God intended it to be and in my case my body rejected it.  Trading one symptom (heartburn/Gerd) for six symptoms was worse!!!  Please do your research first and ask question!!!  Do not just take the word of your Doctor!!!  Doctors PRACTICE medicine!!!  The operative word here is PRACTICE!!!  God Bless!!! Good Luck!!! Get it reversed ASAP!!!
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
BeFit1 everything I read says that these FPs ARE the way to repair HHs. So when you say you are glad you had it reversed, and  you just needed the HH ( and gallbladder) fixed, what do you mean? What fixed the HH?

I'm sorry but if everyone just believed that our bodies were the way god intended and to let them be, no one would go to a doctor for ANYTHING and would die needlessly.
Avatar universal
I have suffered so much emotional stress from my first surgery July 2011  and the doc trying to tell me I was ok. I went back to him two weeks after the surgery and tried to tell him something was wrong.  I dealt with it for almost a year before I made a 7 hour trip to Cleveland Clinic and had it taken down and put back in July 2012.  The surgeon there in his own  words said my surgery was ONE WEIRD MESS!!  He  said it was so messed up most surgeons would have just taken it out.  I was stuck on a feeding tube for 10 weeks , have been through 3 major stretch procedures and can finally get some foods down like oatmeal ,etc. However I lost 50 lbs and 35 inches, and still even when I get food down , it goes straight through and I have no control of my bowels.  Nothing wrong with my colon so they think the first Doctor damaged my nerves during his messed up surgery and I may be stuck with that for life . I live off Ensure now to stay as well as I can but go back on Feb 4th for another evaluation from my Cleveland doctor to see if he can make it better or I live like I am as long as I can or stuck with a feeding tube for life. It stinks and the first doctor make it sound like a piece of cake. I can only say I wish I had went to Cleveland first, I was  told me this surgery should NEVER be done laposcopic!! It is way to major so how are these DR.s getting away with this??
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the GERD (Acid Reflux) Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Learn which OTC medications can help relieve your digestive troubles.
Is a gluten-free diet right for you?
Discover common causes of and remedies for heartburn.
This common yet mysterious bowel condition plagues millions of Americans
Don't get burned again. Banish nighttime heartburn with these quick tips
Get answers to your top questions about this pervasive digestive problem