Saturday, October 23, 2010 mom of child with CP asks

Q: How do I ask my sons GI dr about doing a fundoplication..my son is having g-tube surgery and I want them to do the fundoplication to stop his acid reflux so the tube will get better results

he has been throwing up 3 times a week for the past 3 weeks except for one week he went 6 days between episodes he is on prevacid but the vomitting has gotten worse the past couple months..but dont know if these episodes are enough vomitting to get him to consider it..dont want him to think im a nut job parent that once they read something they want it done..but how will the g-tube help if he is still throwing up all the time...least with fundoplication it will help control the reflux and help him gain weight..having a hard time dealing with g-tube but im more on board if they will do the fundoplication..least his reflux will be better and the poor kid wont be throwing up all the time anymore

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Answers (2)

Jan Gambino, Health Guide

10/24/10 9:16am

Hello!

You are asking excellent questions. It is important to be well informed before surgery. I hope that you are working with a pediatric gastroenterologist and the pediatrician to evaluate the need for the g tube and possibly the fundoplication. Certainly the history of vomiting and weight issues combined with the CP (cerebral palsy) need to be addressed. Before considering a tube or a fundoplication, it is important to determine the cause of the symptoms and treat non surgically. This may involve changes to the diet and medication. If these treatments fail to control the symptoms and there are health consequences such as poor weight gain or weight loss, poor nutrition, etc, surgery is an option to look at.

If the pediatric gastroenterologist beleives that surgery is needed, talk to the surgeon. He/she will review the tests and history and determine the risks/benefits of surgery. When my daughter had a fundo and feeding tube, I consulted two surgeons at two different hospitals. A second opinion may be a good idea if you are not sure or if the need for surgery isn't straightforward.

If you go ahead with the surgery, let me know and we can talk more about what to expect. I have also written about surgery here on HealthCentral.

http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/96/13633/comments

Good luck and let me know what the outcome is.

Jan