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Anti-reflux surgery - children - discharge

Fundoplication - children - discharge; Nissen fundoplication - children - discharge; Belsey (Mark IV) fundoplication - children - discharge; Toupet fundoplication - children - discharge; Thal fundoplication - children - discharge; Hiatal hernia repair - children - discharge; Endoluminal fundoplication - children - discharge

Your child had surgery to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is a condition that causes acid, food, or liquid to come up from the stomach into the esophagus. The esophagus is the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.

Now that your child is going home, follow the surgeon's instructions on how to care for your child at home. Use the information below as a reminder.

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When Your Child Was in the Hospital

During the operation, the surgeon wrapped the upper part of your child's stomach around the end of the esophagus.

The surgery was done in one of these ways:

Your child may also have had a pyloroplasty. This is a procedure that widened the opening between the stomach and small intestine. The doctor may have also placed a G-tube (gastrostomy tube) in the child's stomach for feeding.

What to Expect at Home

Most children can go back to school or daycare as soon as they feel well enough and when the surgeon feels it is safe.

Your child may have a feeling of tightness when swallowing. This is from the swelling inside your child's esophagus. Your child may also have some bloating. These should go away in 6 to 8 weeks.

Recovery is faster from laparoscopic surgery than from open surgery.

You will need to schedule a follow-up appointment with your child's primary care provider or gastroenterologist and with the surgeon after the surgery.

Care at Home

You'll help your child get back to a regular diet over time.

If your child had a gastrostomy tube (G-tube) placed during surgery, it can be used for feeding and venting. Venting is when the G-tube is opened to release air from the stomach, similar to burping.

For pain, you can give your child over-the-counter pain medicines such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). If your child is still having pain, call your child's provider.

Wound Care

If sutures (stitches), staples, or glue were used to close your child's skin:

If strips of tape were used to close your child's skin:

Do not allow your child to soak in a bathtub or hot tub or go swimming until your child's surgeon tells you it is OK.

When to Call the Doctor

Contact your child's provider if your child has:

Related Information

Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Anti-reflux surgery - children
Gastroesophageal reflux - discharge
Heartburn - what to ask your provider

References

Holcomb GW. Gastroesophageal reflux. In: Holcomb GW, Murphy JP, St. Peter SD, eds. Holcomb and Ashcraft's Pediatric Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 28.

Vandenplas Y. Gastroesophageal reflux. In: Wylie R, Hyams JS, Kay M, eds. Pediatric Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 21.

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Review Date: 1/24/2023  

Reviewed By: Robert A. Cowles, MD, Professor of Surgery (Pediatrics), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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06/01/2025

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