Acid reflux after oesophygal dilatation

[Justdone]

Hi Everyone

I had a nissen fundoplication classic wrap on 25 July. Suffered dysphagia for 4 weeks until I went for oesophygal dilatation on 22 July. Since then I have had such terrible reflux, worse than I have experienced before. I take Nexmezol which takes forever to go down. Main issue was a hiatial hernia not as much GERD as I am experiencing right now. I eat small, soft bland meals (more like grazing) until about 5pm, thereafter I don't eat at all. I move a lot during the day with resting periods in-between. What could be causing so much reflux after the dilatation? Help please.

[Garysreflux]

Hiya .. my hh/nissen experience. i had hh and i had nissen 360 at st thoms in london in sep17. My reflux stopped immed and ppis were stopped too. Years reflux caused a narrowin in my oesoph (due to scarring from acid burn) so i had swallowing issues too, to the extent my oesoph is funnel shaped due to food backup: 10x width of normal oesoph.

Post n360 my doctor was hoping my oesoph would shrink back. A year on I still have swallowin issues .. have to chew food to a pulp .. oesoph still funnel shaped and this leads to food residue in oesoph to the extent that 2 recent endoscopies have failed. I take sparkling water with every meal as the related burping helps food go down. Over the year ive had a couple of stretches but, touch wood, still no reflux.

My doctor thinks there may be some alchalasia involved and/or he may have done the wrap too tight (yours too loose??). Im being lined up for a procedure where via throat he will snip the wrap to loosen. Im not sure cos despite swallowing issues which are manageable .. im 61 .. fit and lifes good. I dont fancy the risk of reflux again. Amazing how individually with hh the probs are similar but our outcomes all vary. Best wishes. G

[Alan_M]

If you have had a Nissan fundoplication it may be that you have also had a Heller's myotomy for a condition such as achalasia? The fundoplication wrap is designed to act as a valve to stop the reflux coming up from the stomach, so it sounds like the surgery firstly made the wrap too tight, and then the dilatation made it too loose? So the reason for the reflux is the lack of a lower oesophageal sphincter valve effect. I think you should return to the doctor who did the surgery and dilatation for advice.