In general, during fundoplication the surgeon pulls the top of the stomach up and wraps it around the lower esophagus. Then the surgeon sews the newly formed valve in place and closes the incision. The surgery takes about one to two hours, and your child will be in the recovery room for another hour.
Most often, surgeons choose to perform a laparoscopic, or minimally invasive, surgery. During minimally invasive surgery, the surgeon makes several small incisions. Then the surgeon inserts a thin, lighted tube with a camera and their surgical instruments through the incisions.
The advantage of laparoscopic surgery is that surgeons don't have to cut through the stomach muscles. Children may recover faster.
Sometimes, though, surgeons need to make one longer cut (incision) instead of the smaller incisions. This is called open surgery. Your child's surgeon will discuss this with you if it appears to be the best choice for your child.
Sometimes this operation is combined with placement of a gastrostomy tube, a feeding tube in the stomach that is placed through the abdominal wall. If your child needs this operation, their surgeon will discuss it with you.
After surgery, we will give your child pain medicine to make them comfortable. They will get fluids and medicine through an IV (intravenous) line, a tube that goes into a vein. Your child may also need a tube that goes from the nose to the stomach. This is called a nasogastric tube, or NG tube. It helps keep the stomach empty during recovery.
You can expect your child to stay in the hospital for about two to five days. At home, you'll need to keep the incisions clean and dry until they heal. The surgery team will teach you how to care for the incision, explain what kinds of food or medicine to give your child, and tell you if you need to limit your child's activity for a while.
About two to three weeks after surgery, your child will need to see the surgeon for a follow-up visit. The surgeon will make sure the incision is healing and your child is recovering well.
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