hiatal hernia surgery recovery « Heartburn and Acid Reflux News Blog

Hiatal Hernia Surgery Recovery

Having any surgical procedure can be stressful and there is always a period of recovery that one must go through afterwards. However, when the surgery involves area of the stomach, the recovery process could be a little more in depth. After all, not all surgeries will have an effect on the way you eat for weeks or months at a time. There are several things you should know about in regards to your recovery after a Hiatal hernia repair surgery.

Diet Limitations

As mentioned earlier, you are going to be sent home with a number of diet limitations. This does not mean restrictions as there is a major difference. It is not that you will have to watch what you eat, it is that you will have to watch the way you eat it. For example, you will be instructed to take small bites and chew each one thoroughly before swallowing. The idea here is to make sure your food is almost fully liquid before swallowing it. Some people prefer to eat soup and other soft foods for a few days. Remember that bread and meat will be the hardest to swallow so maybe stay away from them for at least a week or so. Also, it cannot be stressed enough that spicy foods and foods that are known to produce gas such as beans should be avoided for quite awhile. Do not drink carbonated drinks until your doctor has instructed you that it is alright to do so.

Stay Comfortable

This cannot be stressed enough. More than likely you will be sent home with pain medications. Do not be afraid to use these as necessary. If you find that one of your medications is making you feel sick to your stomach, which can easily happen with pain meds, report this to your doctor and see about an alternate drug. If you doctor permits it you may be able to take a nice warm shower in order to relax you and make you feel better. Keep in mind that this may not be allowed for several days after surgery. You may expect to feel a bit of discomfort for a good 3 to 6 months following your surgery but do not worry as the severity and frequency will minimize with time.

Take Care of Your Lungs

After a surgical procedure one of the things that you must consider is the health and function of your lungs. Making sure you do breathing exercises during your recovery time will help prevent the possibility of pneumonia or lung congestion. In fact, lung disorders and illnesses tend to me the most common after effects of surgeries of all types so do not slack where this is concerned. Chances are you’ve been given a spirometer, use it a minimum of 4 times per day in the beginning. If you do notice any lung congestion, a tight and painful cough or spike a fever, contact your doctor right away.

Do Not Worry About Appetite

You may not feel like eating much of anything directly following this surgical procedure and that is fine for a couple of days. However, if after 48 hours you still have not developed an appetite contact your doctor as you need to eat in order for your body to get the sustenance it needs for the healing process. If you cannot eat solid foods then try drinking meal replacement shakes as these provide nutrition and act more like a beverage, making it easier for people to tolerate.

The most important consideration after a surgery is always going to be infection. If you notice redness, swelling or heat coming from the site then you should seek medical attention. Also a fever is never a good sign after any sort of surgical procedure. These are the things your doctor will most likely instruct you to watch for. In most cases the healing process goes quite smoothly but be aware of the risks and pat attention to the signals your body is sending you.

General Information on Hiatal Hernia Surgery

Since one of the most common symptoms of a hiatal hernia is heartburn, many people often neglect treatment in the beginning because they just attribute it to acid indigestion. As time goes on and the symptoms persist and become much more intense, a diagnosis is usually in order. If the diagnosis is ‘hiatal hernia’ there are different ways of treating the condition usually based on the how far advanced the hernia is. Sometimes the treatment can be as simple as lifestyle changes with or without medications and other times treatment will require hiatal hernia surgery.

Why Is Hiatal Hernia Surgery Necessary?

A hiatal hernia is actually referring to a condition that is quite common in those people suffering from GERD. This is where the connection between the esophagus and the stomach (gastroesophageal junction) becomes weakened from chronic acid reflux. Instead of being located below the diaphragm and above the stomach, the junction is sometimes pushed up above the diaphragm and the stomach also begins to twist up into the esophagus if left untreated for long periods. This can be extremely dangerous, so to prevent this happening, surgery is required to repair the junction and stitch it back where it belongs.

Laparoscopic Hiatal Hernia Surgery

This type of surgery is often referred to as Nissen Fundoplication hiatal hernia surgery and it can be performed outpatient, however some doctors do admit patients under certain conditions. Usually the patient is under general anesthesia when the surgery takes place. Small incisions are made in the abdomen, approximately 1 cm, through which instruments and the fiberoptic laparoscope are inserted. The entire operation is conducted with these tiny instruments. At the end, the incisions are sutured and the patient is brought into recovery until the roused from sedation.

Laparoscopic Hiatal Hernia Surgery Recovery

Unlike hiatal hernia surgery of days gone by, the laparoscopic hiatal hernia surgery recovery time is usually significantly reduced because the incisions are so small. The amount of time a patient needs to spend in the hospital is usually based on the extent of the damage which had been repaired and of course, the patient’s natural ability to heal. Some patients just heal faster than others! However, with that being said, some doctors will keep you in the hospital a few days up to a week or a week and a half.

Hiatal Hernia Surgery Complications

As with any surgery, there is always the risk of complications, but usually hiatal hernia surgery complications will gradually subside. In some cases they may become permanent and in other cases the complications may require additional surgeries to correct the situation. For example, painful swallowing, burping and vomiting are the most common complications and also those that will eventually resolve themselves as the patient heals. However, certain complications such as a pneumothorax (air around the lungs), internal organ damage or infections bleeding may require additional surgeries and/or medications to correct the problem.

Hiatal Hernia Surgery Success Rate

Although it is difficult to put a number on the hiatal hernia surgery success rate as all people are different and all cases can be more or less severe, the success rate for this surgery which is minimally invasive is usually between 90% and 95%. In those rare cases when the patient experiences chronic complications, the actual success rate is reduced because the complications interfere with the patient’s ultimate recovery. This is something you would want to discuss with your surgeon because the prognosis for full recovery is based on the extent of damage being repaired.

In fact, if you have been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia that requires surgery your doctor will most likely provide you with literature that you can use to familiarize yourself with both the illness and the surgery. Since this condition is quite often associated with GERD, early detection of gastroesophageal reflux disease and treatments with proton pump inhibitors may just be the prevention needed to avoid a hiatal hernia. In any case, if you find that you are experiencing acid reflux more than twice a week, it is truly time to see your doctor.

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