Petersen hernia repair

(deactivated member)
on 1/27/14 9:56 pm
RNY on 04/13/12

Still hoping anyone can help. They found that I have a petersens hernia and will have surgery next week. Has anyone had this done I'm trying to find out what to expect post op. I already had a twisted bowel and had emergency surgery for this and now I have a hernia.

please be your own advocate I kept getting twisted intestines that would hurt like nothing I've ever had. Severe cramping abdominal pain and vomitting. I would go to the er and would be told its gas or gastro. Every ct came back negative. Then by chance I had gone to a WALK IN CLINIC they does X-rays and believe it or not a dr from China saw it  on the abdominal scan. 

A whole year of suffering and now it's been found. These are common after RNY. 

The problem is that unless they are trained to look for it they won't see it. I was so lucky to have it found. It's very painful and happens randomly. All bowel movements were still normal. This is very dangerous to get and needs to be repaired. They are doing mine lap and I'm hoping this will end this once and for all.

If anyone can tell me anything about  this please let me know.

thank you

Zizzler
on 1/28/14 7:56 am

"believe it or not a dr from China saw it on the abdominal scan" - what does that mean?  I am confused...

Highest: 320, Surgery: 255 (Aug/14), Lowest: 132, Current: 167, Goal: 155

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. - Soren Kierkegaard

(deactivated member)
on 1/28/14 8:12 am, edited 1/28/14 8:14 am
RNY on 04/13/12

The Petersens hernia are diagnosed more often in Asian and European countries because of the advanced techniques that are used there. He said that in china they are very familiar with this type of ulcer. It used to be seen often but became very rare UNTIL the increase of RNY.  This is why I'm trying to warn others about it because the drs here Are NOT familiar with it. Read about it on the net and you will see it had almost been obsolete until the recent demand for RNY.

as simple as that

Zizzler
on 1/28/14 8:21 am

Oh okay - thank you for sharing this information.

(deactivated member)
on 1/28/14 8:24 am
RNY on 04/13/12

No problem

Be very careful to watch all symptoms and don't ignore any. I DO NOT regret this surgery. Funny as it sounds my life is much better but I have had many setbacks and want to warn others of the risk.

(deactivated member)
on 1/28/14 8:33 am - Bumfuknowhere, Canada

If you search Peterson hernia on OH you will see lots of threads.  I have seen quite a few on the Main Board about them.  I only know of one person from Ontario that has ever talked about having one but she hasn't posted in about 2 years.

(deactivated member)
on 1/28/14 8:37 am
RNY on 04/13/12

That's why I'm so worried about this surgery because it's so uncommon. I have no idea what to expect. I have tried the main site but there are no real answers of what to expect after. I guess I'm just terrified if the unknown. 

Thank you though for the info

take care

(deactivated member)
on 1/28/14 8:41 am, edited 1/28/14 8:47 am - Bumfuknowhere, Canada

I just typed it in the search engine for OH and numerous threads came up and many discuss what they were like after surgery.  The threads are old but it's better than nothing.

 

Here are a few

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/4244983/Anyone-else-h ave-an-internal-hernia-repair-Petersens-hernia/

 

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/rny/4019104/non-emergency- repair-of-Petersons-hernia-recovery-xpost/

(deactivated member)
on 1/28/14 8:54 am
RNY on 04/13/12

Thank you

snid457
on 1/28/14 9:33 pm - Canada

I had surgery to repair a Petersen hernia last April. I had been having bad stomach cramps after eating which I just assumed were a result of food just not sitting well in my pouch. One morning those bad cramps went from uncomfortable to the worst pain in my life. I went by ambulance to the Ottawa Civic Hospital and had emergency surgery.

The surgery took three hours and was done laproscopically, with four small incisions. The camera went in through my belly button which as a result is now shallower but otherwise looks the same. In addition, because my intestines had been blocked, my old stomach had become filled with digestive fluid and the surgeon had to put in a G-tube to drain in. It drained into a bag outside my body for about 2 days and then they put a plug on it. However, the drain had to stay in for six weeks before they removed it (this was done during an in-office visit - no sedation required).

I hadn't realized that our old stomachs remain connected to our intestines because they continue to produce digestive fluid which needs to drain out.

Right after surgery, my stomach muscles were sore and I needed help to sit or stand up, but that improved each day and was fine after a week and a half or so. The worst pain was the gas pain, and the nurses encouraged me to walk as much as possible (which I did with someone to hold to support me). Once the gas starts passing, the pain eases up considerably. I was discharged 3 days after surgery and given a prescription for pain meds, but didn't bother filling it and never needed it once I was home.

As with any surgery, I was on clear fluids for a day or so after surgery then full fluids for another day, then back to regular food.

I had home care that came once a week to change my dressings, which was not really necessary since I changed them myself the other six days of the week, but it was nice to have a nurse I could ask questions. The dressings on most of the incisions came off after a couple of weeks. My belly button took a little longer, and I had dressings around the g-tube site for the six weeks I had it and for two weeks after it was removed. There is a small divot where the g-tube was; the other incisions have tiny scars similar to my RNY scars.

I felt mostly fine after a couple of weeks. My energy was a little low, but that was probably due to having the g-tube which, even when it's just there and not really doing anything, takes a toll on your body.

The surgeon said that this kind of hernia occurs in about 20% of RNY patients and there is nothing that can be done to prevent them. During the RNY, our intestines are attached to a fat pad at the top of our abdomens but sometimes that fat pad disappears when we lose weight and the intestines start to move around.

I hope this information helps. Good luck with your surgery!

Lorraine

    
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