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Patients are admitted on the morning of surgery after fasting starting at midnight. An anesthesiologist will interview you in the ambulatory surgery area on the fifth floor and a nurse will place an intravenous line in your arm. After waiting in this area you will be brought into the operating room. Laparoscopic antireflux surgery is performed under general anesthesia. Meaning that you will be completely unconscious or asleep. After surgery, you will wake up in the recovery room and you will be transferred to a hospital room after one to two hours. The evening after the surgery you will be sleepy and your belly will be very sore. Pain medication will be given by liquid or intramuscular form at your request. You will be expected to walk short distances that night. This will decrease the risk of getting pneumonia and clots in the leg veins. You may have sips of clear liquid the evening of surgery, and your diet may be changed to puree food before you go home the next day. What are the side effects after surgery? Half of the patients have difficulty eating solid food for several weeks after surgery. This is due to swelling at the site of the stomach wrap. As the swelling goes down, solid food will pass more easily. Belching can create some discomfort. Diarrhea and distention of the "belly" may also occur; all these problems improve with time. Rarely, the gastric wrap may become too tight or too loose. This may result in the need for medication or further surgery. How is pain controlled? Pain from the incisions is common during the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery. You may also experience abdominal discomfort and shoulder pain from retention of carbon dioxide gas in the abdominal cavity. Carbon dioxide gas is used to inflate the abdominal cavity during surgery to allow access to the esophagus, stomach and surrounding organs by the surgical team. Pain medications will be prescribed by your physician while in the hospital and prior to discharge to help relieve this discomfort. You will be given a prescription for a liquid painkiller when you leave the hospital. Narcotics may cause constipation. For relief, we recommend using a stool softener such as Milk of Magnesia or call the doctor's office for assistance. You should not take narcotic pain medications on an empty stomach or drink alcohol. What diet may I eat in the hospital? The evening after surgery you will be given a clear liquid diet. Take small sips and drink slowly. The newly created valve may be swollen and liquids may move slowly through the esophagus. Swallowing large amounts of liquid or "gulping" may cause chest pain or excessive belching. Occasionally cold or carbonated beverages may also cause chest pain; they should be avoided. The morning after surgery, you may be given a pureed diet. These foods are easily chewed and swallowed. |