Fundopexy

Fundopexy is a new technique rarely used so far, in which the lower oesophagus is attached to the crura of the stomach.

Jeremy Conner’s story of fundopexy

I am now 48 hours post op from fundopexy surgery to repair my hiatal hernia. My wife and I flew in Houston on Sunday 2/28, had pre op on Monday 3/1 and surgery Tuesday 3/2 then flew home yesterday. I am so glad we opted to fly instead of drive like we had my last few appointments.

I was unable to have a nissen/toupet fundoplication because of my esophageal dysmotility, so fundopexy was the next best option!

Surgery started around 930am and I was in first phase of recovery close to 11am. This was the hardest Anastasia I’ve ever been under, I could not bring myself to open my eyes or speak with the nurses, took awhile for it to wear off to where I could communicate with the nurses. I was then transferred into last phase of recovery and was in there for about 2 hours.

Pain upon waking up; I honestly didn’t have any stomach/chest pain. All my pain was in my left shoulder and it was absolutely unbearable from the trapped gas. Luckily, the nurse was nice enough to keep massaging my shoulder each time she came to check on me.

After being released. We went straight to our hotel and I spent most of the evening and night pacing back and forth in the room, and down the hotel hall trying to get the gas to release, unfortunately I had little to no luck with that. I slept for maybe 3 hours the first night and that was all. I woke up the next day (Wednesday) and felt a little better from gas pains, but then started getting some stomach pain, but manageable, just sore and tender with movement. As of this morning, Thursday, I am much better but not great yet. Still have some pain in my shoulder, sore and tender stomach. Hurts to cough and sneeze. As well as chest pains when coughing and sneezing or trying to take deep breaths.

2 weeks of puréed diet then as tolerable after that. No lifting over 4lbs for 8 weeks.

All of this will be so worth it once the recovery is over. And I can live a somewhat normal life and not deal with all the heartburn, reflux and regurgitation anymore. I am excited for the future and outcome of this surgery!