Does any one have experience with Fundoplication?

[Guest guest]

Tamara,

My son had the partial wrap fundo done when he was about 4 years old. He is 8 now. It really saved his life. He was spitting up everything that came in. He has not had anything come up since. It was a very invasive surgery, so I like you, did my research prior. At the time it came to the point where we had no other choice and I am glad we made the decision we did. Hope this helps!

Heidi Harmon

[Guest guest]

Tamara,

We elected not to have Lucas have a fundo. Instead Lucas is J-tube fed with a separate G-button for venting and a J-tube for feeding. (Two separate stomas.) I feel this has been the best choice for Lucas despite many problems we have had. Lucas has had normal and abnormal gastric emptying scans. I feel when the abnormal scans were occurring he would have had severe pain issues and bloating if there was no place for the food or gastric juices to go. Lucas has had croup over a dozen times but has been much better over the past year. He still vomits on occasion despite venting. Being on once daily prevacid seems to be our best choice of medications.

HTH,

Loriann

[Guest guest]

I talk to our GI in St.Louis today. Joey's GI issues have gotten

worse latly and he is already on a very high dose of Prilosec. 40mgs

twice a day. And still has a large amount of inflamation in every

biopsy. Still has abnormal cells. He suggested that I do some

research on a Fundoplication and weigh the odds. Before he said that

he did not like to have it done because it was so inacerate. It

would work for some, then others it would make it worse. He has such

bad airway issues we hate to put him under. Yet he has sooo many

issues to deal with. Should we, could we make some of his issues go

away with a Fundoplication? Ha any of you gone through it or know

any one who has. Yes I am doing my research, yet I would love to

hear your stories. Thank you very much!!!!

Tamara

[Guest guest]

Hi, Tamara -

My 12 yo had a fundoplication and Gtube placement 10 years ago. I think that it was one of the best things that we ever did for her, but the recovery period was not easy. Prior to the fundo, wheezed constantly and had recurrent pneumonias. That problem is much improved - no pneumonia or wheezing in the past 3 years, in fact (knock wood!). She was aspirating from above and from below. She had been on NG feeds before the Gtube placement, and we were struggling with po feeds as well. She has been NPO for several years now, and is better for it. had been in a lot of pain from reflux and esophagitis, in spite of many meds. She still needs Pepcid, but that is it. She had a major surgical complication - they "nipped" (in the surgeon's words) her vagus nerve, causing severe problems with ileus and delayed gastric emptying. She needed very slow continuous feeds and constant venting for about 9 months post-op, then we slowly worked her onto slow bolus feeds during the day and continuous feeds overnight. At 5, we were able to transition her to all daytime bolus feeds, which she tolerates easily ( feeds 230cc + 60cc H2O flush in only a few minutes). Her Nissen is still tight - she can't vomit, but can burp (a little). I do need to occasionally vent her for gagging. Respiratory problems were a big issue for back then. I think we nebbed her just before the surgery, and a few times during the surgery (Albuterol and steroids) and had her on Prednisone as well. With careful attention, she did just fine respiratory-wise. We were more worried about her epilepsy - the surgeon was afraid that she would tear her new Nissen if she had a seizure within the first few days - so we kept her very sedated for the first 72 hours. Between the Valium, a PCA pump and an epidural drip left in for that 72 hours, she did not have significant pain that I could tell. She had an open Nissen - I hear that the laparoscopic Nissens go much easier.

Kathy

Does any one have experience with Fundoplication?

I talk to our GI in St.Louis today. Joey's GI issues have gotten worse latly and he is already on a very high dose of Prilosec. 40mgs twice a day. And still has a large amount of inflamation in every biopsy. Still has abnormal cells. He suggested that I do some research on a Fundoplication and weigh the odds. Before he said that he did not like to have it done because it was so inacerate. It would work for some, then others it would make it worse. He has such bad airway issues we hate to put him under. Yet he has sooo many issues to deal with. Should we, could we make some of his issues go away with a Fundoplication? Ha any of you gone through it or know any one who has. Yes I am doing my research, yet I would love to hear your stories. Thank you very much!!!!TamaraPlease contact mito-owner with any problems or questions.

[Guest guest]

Tamara, For Chelsea, her fundo has been a good thing. She has a nissen fundoplication, one of the tighter 'knots', she has not burped or vomited since it was placed over 4 yrs ago. Chelsea never had a noticable problem with reflux, it was just assumed because her muscles were so weak. She did have an upper GI shortly before the fundo which showed no reflux. She had the fundo done with a gtube after becoming ill with aspiration pneumonia twice in 6 wks (she has severe aspiration issues). It definatly appears her first pneumonia was caused by reflux, as she was fine at 6am and deadly ill by 9am. It weakened her so much, she was no longer able to eat by mouth, and had aspiration pneumonia again very shortly after returning her to oral feeds.

Other than aspiration, Chelsea has no other major GI issues. She has never wretched or gagged with feeds, tolerates all bolus feeds (feeding over a short time period), and has a lot less gas after switching her off Pediasure.

e, Chelsea's mom(nonspecific mito)