Hiatus Hernia Operation Experience

Digestive health
1

I’d like to share my experiences from my operation as I feel it’s important to inform how major this surgery is and how, in the line of adversity, there comes a favourable outcome.

Firstly don’t let my experiences put anyone off having this surgery as I went through 22 years of pain, cramps, being bloated, sleeplessness, breathlessness, etc, before a bout of acute gastro enteritis revealed some serious problems, where I had no option but to have surgery.

During my time in hospital with acute gastro enteritis the previous year, I had a scan that revealed a very large tear in my diaphragm and a number of my major organs and a large proportion of my bowel had gone into my chest cavity and basically squashed my left lung to less than a third of its size.

I went into surgery for my HH on June 2nd 2008 with the view that key hole would be the approach; unfortunately when the surgeons team went in, they found that the volume in my chest was too great and had to open me up. They brought everything down and inserted a titanium plate in my diaphragm to bridge the gap. Following that, I went into intensive care, where, a few days later, a scan revealed that the plate had come away and my internals had gone back into my chest, so I had to go through the procedure again, followed by being returned to intensive care on life support and ‘wired for sound’.

Unfortunately a few weeks later, a further scan revealed what they thought was waste on my lung from a perforated bowel so I had to go for further major surgery to take my left lung out through my back, clean it up and put it back.

In total I spent 56 days in intensive care, 30 of which I was in a coma, and been out of hospital for 8 months and trying to get back to some normality. I look a bit like a chess board now from all the scares but more importantly I’m alive and back to work.

I’ll probably never be fully fit again and I’m very tight inside with a large belly on me that I’ve never had, but I’m still here, my wife has her moaning husband back and my children have their nagging dad back.

I don’t want my experiences to put anyone off having this surgery as my condition was far more extreme than most people; I’m more than happy to help offer advice on surgery and recovery, and indeed what to expect post operation. “Good Luck”

2

My goodness and I thought I was having a hard time.

I also had open surgery in September last year at Ross Hall and have been struggling ever since. This was my second surgery for hiatus hernia, the first one was keyhole but the symptoms appeared 6 months later and after about 5 years I started bringing up all my food and nothing would stay down even though I was on 40mg Nexium but think I was put on this too late, so it did not do anything for me.

I have been told I have neuropathic pain and cannot sit upright in a chair longer than 20mins without total burning sensation somehow this has also effect my left leg since the surgery and I now hobble about everywhere in pain. Waiting to see consultant at the pain clinic at wishaw infirmary. Although it has cured my reflux problem it has brought me other problems which means I now have to work from home because I am in so much pain with tens machine going full blast. Had MRI scan last week to see if there is anything else wrong and waiting for the results.

Just wondered if you had any pain from the open procedure

3

Hi Susie

Looks like you may be having more problems than me.

I had extensive open surgery in 1986, part of which was to repair a torn diaphragm, but unfortunately it didn’t work and I’d had problems up to and until 2008 but knew nothing of what was to become. I wouldn’t say that I necessarily have pain as such, I suffer more from a lot of discomfort as I feel very tight inside where all of my recent surgery took place.

I still have a numbing sensation across my midriff where I’ve been cut a number of times but that’s just something that’ll come back with time as the nerve endings and abdominal muscles repair and rejoin.

I’m still only 38 years of age and refuse to some extent, to let this beat me and I’m back at work and back playing golf. Whilst my mobility is very much depleted compared to where I was, I’ve found that pushing myself and getting on with life has definitely made a big difference and I’m certainly not ready to take my disabilities lying down.

I also take medication to counteract reflux which has been very effective, and in fact I had a very large box full of different tablets which I’ve dwindled down to only two tablets and feel great for it.

I really hope things pick up for you and don’t let it get you down, it’s also all about the team behind you and I have a great wife, family and friends; chin up and smile in the face of adversity :-)

Steve

4

Thanks for your support. I am due to see the surgeon next week to see if he can help me anymore. He did offer to open me back up again but I do not fancy going through all this again since there is no certainty that this would help with the pain.

I am due at the pain clinic at the end of the month who I am hoping will be able to get me back to some kind of work again.

I have brill support behind me with family and friends who keep my fighting spirit going, just like you I am determined that this will not rule my life

5

It has been a while since the last posting but just in case anybody else suffers this complication thought it might be worthwhile mentioning.

I have the open surgery in September last year for hiatus hernia which I had quite bad complications to that I mentioned in recent posting which resulted in bad neuropathic pain and also incurred bad mobility problems in my left leg. I could not sit upright in a chair for anymore than 20 mins without getting burning sensation like a volcanoe erupting which was diagnosed as neuropathic pain and for some strange reason effected my left leg which resulted in severe mobility problems.

Have been getting around in crutches for several months now. After several consultations with the surgeon he decided that it might have been the way he had done some of the stitching and if he opened me up again then this in turn might help the leg. Well the surgery was 5 days ago and although I am now back to square 1 with the recovery, my left leg seems slightly better now, it is too early to say anything about the pain in abdomen since it is still at the early healing stage.

Just thought I would mention this incase anbody else is or might in the future experience this rare complication to the surgery since I have been to hell and back and can now see flicker of light .

Take care.

6

Gents,

i would like to know the best hospital for my dad to make the hiatial hernia operation since its becoming a severe problem that he is suffering from; whether in the states or Uk and any recommended doctors

thanks

7

Got mine done in Stirling Royal, Was excellently done.

8

hi there

I have a hiatus hernia and currently on omeprazole, im however having some horrible symptoms and struggling with breathlessness, feeling sick all the time, I feel like I have a lead weight in my stomach constantly, even if I stick to bland foods, take regular exercise and all the rest of it. I've even raised my bed by a few inches at the head end because the doctor said this will help settle my tum.

I want to ask anyone's advice please, anyone feel free to comment. im thinking of asking the doctor can I have the operation, because im sick of feeling like this. I tried coping without meds but it hurt my stomach too much, then when im on the omeprazole I still get stomach pains, some chest pains, and it really gets me down and stopping me doing things.

is the operation a very large one? what are the risks/ advantages? im only 25 and just want to live normally at long last.

any help appreciated guys, thanks.

Carla

9

hi carla 77094

i have had 4 operations to repair my hiatus hernia in the 1990's unfortunately my hernia kept on reoccuriing and keyhole surgery was not available back then so all my operations were open.which caused further post operative complications e;g surgicallyt fractured ribs,collapsed lung and scar pain disfigurment and. long recovery time. however with key hole surgery most of these post operative complications are eradicated.and you have a shorter recovery time  you have not stated if your sickness is being regurgitated back into your mouth if so speak to your doctor about having a nissen fundoplication operation to repair your hiatus hernia which involves wrapping your stomach around the bottom of your osoephagus its like wrapping a scarf arounfd your neck which tightens the valve at the top of your stomach and prevents your stomach contents and acid  coming back up your oseophagus stomach  acid through time can burn the bottom of your osoephagus and cause severe heartburn.or even barrats osoephagus. I have not had any reflux for 25 years so my stomach wrap worked and put end to my sickness

ask your doctor for a ct scan to determine the size and location of the hernia on your diaphragm . it is important to have your hernia monitored because in the abscence of ellective surgery your hernia will increase in size and cause more complications at the end of the day the only remedy for repair is surgical also you may want to condsider the propensity for reocurrance as a tear in your diaphragm can reoccur as the diaphragm is a muscle associated with breathing and is continually moving up and down as we inhale or exhale if you do have to get an operation you want it to be a success and dont want it to fail with the possibility of having to go for another op so i would advise you to have a patch fitted to the torn area of your diaphragm to strengthen your diaphragm. i hope this information i have given you helps you in some way to get a better understanding of what the benefits of surgery is and what could go wrong best of luck for the future hope you get well soon