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Posted 3/10/2010 8:57 PM (GMT 0)
has anyone about to have this lap nissen done been told that the vagus nerve could be damaged and it would cause dumping syndrome?
Posted 3/10/2010 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Please,

Welcome to our Forum. I hope you will have time to read through relevant threads and gain insight from the wonderful people who offer help, experience and insights.

I have had 3 open surgeries over the years and will have a 4th soon. All have been open, so I can't speak to the lap procedure. I have had some damage to the Vagus nerve over the years. There are a lot of things that "could" be damaged in any surgery. My surgeries, for example, could easily damage liver and spleen...but that has never happened. Friday, my surgeons and I will discuss the vagus issue. I will see if I get their perspective (vagus open VS lap). If I learn anything (2 doctors opinions, only) I'll post it.

Good Luck (with a skilled and very experienced surgeon, the surgery can be life changing).
Posted 3/11/2010 5:56 AM (GMT 0)
FOUR??... wow.. my7pinecones!!! Can I ask what factors they take in to consideration when they decide between open vs. lap? I remember reading on here something to do with previous surgeries and scar tissue. I have only had a lap. done once several years ago for exploratory stuff so I;m not worried about scar tissue. I'm open to the lap wrap procedure but NOT the open one... just wondering what they take in to consideration.

wow...four....
Posted 3/12/2010 3:15 AM (GMT 0)
Except for extreme cases most Nissens and Hills are done laproscopic.


Joy
Posted 3/12/2010 4:09 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, of course there is vagus damage in a full Nissen. Several branches are cut along with the short gastric vessels when they "free up" the fundus to use for the wrap. However, if they are careful enough they shouldn't hurt the main branch where it runs along the esophagus.

I don't know if cutting the small branches could have anything to do with dumping though.
Posted 3/12/2010 2:25 PM (GMT 0)
thanks for your answer alcie. i talked to my gi dr yesterday and he said he was just hoping it would just go away. he kept trying to avoid the question about the vagus nerve being damaged. i think its because he is friends with the surgeon that did the surgery. i think because he doesnt want anyone to be responsible for this of happening. i was told this shouldnt of happened. i was never worned of this as a possible risk. if i would have been told this i think i would have really looked at different types. i did look at the lynx band being done but there was no one around here that did that.
Posted 3/12/2010 6:33 PM (GMT 0)
I found quite a number of articles that say that dumping is found in 10% of fundoplications.

A good one was on Emedicine (webmd) if you just google fundoplication and gastric dumping you'll find it second one down. I would print the thing out and hand it to your GI doc. It's long and fairly technical, and he probably hasn't read it. There are some medical treatments!

"Clinically significant dumping syndrome occurs in approximately 10% of patients after any type of gastric surgery. Dumping syndrome has characteristic alimentary and systemic manifestations. It is the most common and often disabling postprandial syndrome observed after a variety of gastric surgical procedures, such as vagotomy, pyloroplasty, gastrojejunostomy, and laparoscopic Nissan fundoplication. Dumping syndrome can be separated into early and late forms, depending on the occurrence of symptoms in relation to the time elapsed after a meal. Both forms occur because of rapid delivery of large amounts of osmotically active solids and liquids into the duodenum. Dumping syndrome is the direct result of alterations in the storage function of the stomach and/or the pyloric emptying mechanism."
Posted 3/12/2010 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
wow!! thanks this is what i need. i know that the dr just doesnt want to tell me because they never reported that could be a risk. all i want is for them to tell me this happened. i want to find something to at least help with all the effects. thank you so much and i will look at this. its weird because i got a call from SSDisability and they said the hospital wont send them my surgery records. they just wanted to verify that i had the surgery there. i told them that if the hospital wont give them the record i have them. kinda weird that they didnt send them and every dr is avoiding the questions i have. they just pass me off to another hospital or clinic. kinda fishy!
Posted 3/13/2010 6:55 AM (GMT 0)
Did you sign a release form for them to receive the records? If not the hospital shouldn't send them anything. The wife and I have to have it in our records at all our doctors that it's okay to tell each of us results and discuss things over the phone about each other.

Bill
Posted 3/13/2010 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
i did sign a release. i went to clinic yesterday for some blood work and got my record and they did send them to ssd so its all good. still cant answers though. i will just keep working on it. thanks for everyone sharing stories, and replying!!!
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