Hiatal hernia surgery involves repositioning your esophagus and stomach, and stitching closed an abnormal opening in your diaphragm
that allows your stomach to slide between your abdominal cavity and your chest cavity.
Hiatal hernias can result from excessive
pressure against your diaphragm from being overweight, being pregnant, lifting heavy objects, or straining from constipation, vomiting
or coughing. You may also be born with a weakness in your diaphragm that allows a hernia to develop over time. Hiatal hernias are
most common in middle-aged women and obese people.
Hiatal hernia surgery relieves symptoms like gastroesophageal reflux, heartburn,
belching, and feeling overly full after eating. In some people with hernias, heartburn can be chronic and severe. Surgery is effective
because it puts your stomach back in place so pressure is relieved from your esophageal sphincter and there is no longer a backwash
of stomach acid entering your esophagus.
There are two hiatal hernia surgery methods. One is called open hernia repair, and with
this, your doctor makes an incision in your abdomen and uses his hands to reposition your organs and repair the opening in your diaphragm
with sutures.
The other method is called laparoscopic surgery. With this, your doctor makes a few tiny incisions and inserts
hollow tubes into them. One of these tubes contains a camera so the doctor can watch the surgery on a screen. Surgical instruments
are inserted into the other hollow tubes and your doctor repairs your hernia while watching a clear close-up view on a monitor screen.
Laparoscopic surgery leaves fewer scars and is less painful to recover from. It also averages a shorter hospital stay.
Hiatal
hernia surgery requires the use of a general anesthetic, so you sleep throughout the procedure, which takes from two to three hours.
Expect a hospital stay of one to six days depending on the surgical method used.
It will take approximately three months for
you to heal completely from hiatal hernia surgery. During that time, you must limit your physical activity so your hernia can heal.
You must also resume your normal diet very slowly over a period of six weeks. The first two weeks you will be limited to clear liquids
only and will slowly progress through thick liquids and soft foods.
Bloating after meals is a common occurrence after hiatal
hernia surgery. If affects nearly 40 percent of people who undergo this type of surgery but it almost always clears up within three
months. Difficult and painful swallowing is also common for the first few weeks.
Hiatal hernia surgery has a low risk of complications
and has proven successful in eliminating acid reflux that is caused by a hiatal hernia. Together with your doctor, you must analyze
the benefits against the risks and determine if hernia surgery is right for you.
What You Should Know
