Reversal of a fundoplication

I had a Nissen Fundoplication procedure done last Oct. I have not have success with it at all. The wrap was to tight and I have to have a dilation done almost every two months. I am looking at have a reversal done and wonder if anyone has had this done and if so, did things improve Thank You

Hi. My surgeon said it can't be reversed, but I'm struggling after 4 months . I've read it can be reversed. Can anyone help please.

@robatk17 thank you for posting here. I'm hoping you can find some answers to your questions, and some comfort in what I'm about to write. You've certainly been through a lot and have multiple things to take into consideration. I'll try to address as much as I can.

If this issue is bothering you enough to post on here, I would certainly address the issue, but you may need to keep advocating for yourself and at a different medical center. I feel that no one should ever have to "settle" with their health.

Regarding the Nissen, I just had a Nissen done at Mayo - Rochester last October, and I wish I had done it a decade before. My sphincter no longer functioned, and they fixed my 4cm hiatal hernia. I have no GERD now, I can eat normally again, and I can sleep laying down like a normal person again. It has enabled me to completely stop taking PPIs, H2 Antagonists, and antacids. I assume that if you have the Nissen undone versus redone, you will have to take some of these medications, which despite what many doctors advise and prescribe, were not intended for long-term use (i.e., years and years and years). These medications can also inhibit the liver enzymes that your body uses to metabolize other medications, which will cause your body to not properly-metabolize them. And I believe that you will also have a fairly significant GERD issue since there is already a hernia with the Nissen. Before my Nissen, I used to wake up with partially-digested food that had traveled up to the top of my esophagus, and I would wake up coughing and choking on it. You don't want to aspirate this stuff into your lungs. GERD can also cause asthma.

With that said, if you have the Nissen redone, I would ensure to go to a thoracic surgeon who has ample experience with Nissen fundoplications and also with correcting them.

Regarding the MALS, if Stanford doesn't feel it is a legit condition, what do they think is going on with you? (My frequent stressors at my home medical center have been doctors who figure out what they think isn't wrong with me, but they take no further steps to figure out what is wrong with me. This is actually why I took myself to Mayo.) I would definitely get a second opinion from another high-caliber institution.

As an aside, I have many doctors at Mayo in many different specialties, and I have never had anyone treat me in the manner that it seems those vascular specialists treated you, which has affected the opinions of other physicians there, as well. You didn't go there asking for more drugs; you went asking to fix a medical problem that in itself is a lot to deal with on its own. (My mom and daughter have peripheral neuropathy, so I can somewhat understand.)

Don't apologize for being angry; I absolutely understand as I have been there myself and still feel anger toward my former doctors, but it is getting better. What two of my home medical centers and 20 doctors weren't able to figure out for 12 years -- ultimately telling me that there was nothing wrong with me -- Mayo Clinic figured out in only the first six months I went there. Ends up there were a ton of things wrong with me, many undiagnosed and some actually caused by my home doctors.

Mayo's doctors have helped me with one very important thing: I'm learning to trust doctors again. It can happen for you too, once you meet the right people.

I had a Nissen Fundoplication procedure done last Oct. I have not have success with it at all. The wrap was to tight and I have to have a dilation done almost every two months. I am looking at have a reversal done and wonder if anyone has had this done and if so, did things improve Thank You

I had nissen done October 11th 2022. I have had so many problems. I'm post op almost 7 weeks. since surgery I've had barium swallow study. EGD with dilation. Swallow study was normal but when i try to eat solid foods and drink I throw it back up. I have severe pain that radiates into my back. I spoke with the surgeon on 11/23/22 and have decided to do a reversal if I'm not better in a couple weeks. They did find chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer in EGD. Anyone have any advice on what I should do or try before I go through another surgery?

@karenjh

You will find much discussion in the Digestive Health Group on this topic.

To find the discussions type: Nissen reversal .. in the search box at the top of this page or any other page on Connect. Here is the link to the Digestive Health Group: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/digestive-gastrointestinal-problems/?utm_source=connect.mayoclinic.org&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digest&utm_content=summary_interest . Or you can click Groups at top of this page to find the group. You will see many titles to topics on that page and may want to browse through them .. but more likely to find something by using the search box.

I have had surgery at the Mayo Clinic to “take down” a Nissen fundoplication. .. it was not called a reversal. It was done because the previous repair I had was done incorrectly. Originally the take down surgery was to repair the Nissen wrap but the surgeon found such a mess he had to take it down and remove a bit of the upper portion of my stomach .. which left nothing for the wrap.

I had a giant hiatal hernia that kept pulling my stomach and part of intestines into my chest (my reason for the Nissen in first place) and he did a repair of this during the surgery too. After this take down and repair of the hernia the hernia pulled my stomach into my chest again. I had another surgery at Mayo Clinic by a different surgeon. He did a gastric bypass to repair. … I had complications and had another surgery a few months later.

More to my story, but it is enough for here.

ZeeGee

Wow ,
That’s a lot to go through …
So you had two diff surgeons at Mayo Clinic do the diff surgeries? Was that in Jacksonville , FL or MN ? I have so many different diagnosis and chronic symptoms ( been to over 6 Gastro Dr’s) even Testing at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville last Oct . I’m a medical mystery. Everyday is a struggle w/ eating anything and digesting. My gut and intestines churn non stop 🛑. I deep wet Belch over 2000 x a day/ night . I’m at wits end . Next stop a Functional medical ARPN in Jan / and started taking Seed Pre/ Pro biotic ( google it ) a week ago . Someone told me to try it .
I’ve tried everything else .
Sounds like many people have problems with the Nissan surgery . I def don’t want that .

@rozy288
Yes, surgeries were done at Jacksonville Mayo. Dr Smith.. I think Daniel is his first name .. did the first surgery. By time I needed second surgery he had left Mayo (I think he is in the Atlanta Ga area now) and I was assigned Dr Steven Bowers. I was told I would always belch .. it is side effect of the surgeries and swallowing problems I have. Most of the time I don't even notice the burping any more. Sometimes it does increase and my husband notices. Usually because I have eaten something with onions or garlic in it. .. or some spice. .. or just when it starts getting harder to swallow again .. which causes me to swallow more air. I eat soft foods and tender meats that need very little chewing. Sometimes I have to go to an all liquid diet. My meds have to be either liquid, chewable or a patch.

For some people a Nissen works great. I think it depends a lot on the surgeon. I don't think it was the correct thing for repair of my giant hiatal hernia. If you opt for any surgery make sure you know what the permanent side effects are .. they all have them.