Laparoscopic Hiatal Hernia Repair - Patient & Family Guide Please bring this booklet to the hospital with you - Nova Scotia Health Authority
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Patient & Family Guide
2018
Laparoscopic
Hiatal Hernia
Repair
Please bring this booklet
to the hospital with you.
Aussi disponible en français :
Chirurgie laparoscopique de la
hernie hiatale (FF85-1899)
www.nshealth.caLaparoscopic Hiatal Hernia Repair
• A hiatal hernia happens when part of your
stomach moves up into your lower chest
through an opening in the diaphragm.
• This can cause trouble swallowing, as well
as heartburn, regurgitation (swallowed food
comes back up into your mouth) and burping.
Large hernias have a risk of blocking the
stomach.
• Your doctor has arranged for you to have your
hiatal hernia repaired.
• You will have 5 or 6 small 1 to 1 1/2-inch
incisions (cuts) in the middle of your abdomen
(stomach area) between your nipples and
belly button.
• Your surgery can take about 2-3 hours.
• Please see page 4 for breathing exercises to
practice before your surgery.
After surgery
• You will be in the Recovery Room (Post
Anesthetic Care Unit or PACU) for about
1-3 hours.
• You will then go to the inpatient nursing unit.
• Visitors are not allowed in the recovery area
but may visit you on the inpatient unit.
1Intravenous
• You will have an intravenous (IV) in one arm.
This will give you medications and fluids.
• You will be started on fluids by mouth and get
guidelines on when to start eating solid food
again.
Face mask/Nasal prongs
• You may have a mask or nasal prongs on your
face to give you moist air and oxygen.
Pain medication
• There will be some discomfort around the
incisions, as well as possible chest and
shoulder pain.
• The pain can be helped with medication.
Pain medication can be given every 3-4 hours
during the day and night.
• Please ask for pain medication, if needed.
• Pain after surgery is normal. We want to keep
you as comfortable as possible, while avoiding
the unwanted side effects of pain medications
(such as nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and
constipation). These side effects can slow your
recovery.
2• You may have a tube in your nose to drain
your stomach.
• If you have nausea (feel sick to your stomach),
please ask your nurse for medication to help
prevent vomiting.
• It is important to be as pain-free as possible.
We will ask you to describe your pain using a
scale from 0-10.
No pain Worst pain
or discomfort imaginable
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Deep breathing and coughing
• We will encourage you to breathe deeply and
cough. This is to fully expand (make bigger)
your lungs and prevent mucus from pooling in
them.
• You may be given a device called an incentive
spirometer to help you with this. An incentive
spirometer helps you take deep breaths. Use it
10 times every hour when you are awake.
3Practice this exercise before your surgery:
1. Blow out 4 times quickly.
2. Take a deep breath in and hold it.
3. Blow the breath all the way out.
4. Take another deep breath in and cough out.
5. After surgery, repeat this exercise 2 times
each hour while you are awake.
• After your surgery, your physiotherapist or
nurse will check your breathing and work with
you to clear the mucus from your lungs.
• While coughing, hold a pillow firmly against
your incisions. This will support your incisions
and make coughing less painful.
Activity
• Moving your body prevents blood clots from
forming and getting upright improves your
lung function.
• It is important to move your legs and feet and
turn every 2 hours while in bed.
• Try and get up and move around, or at least
sit in a chair, as soon as possible after surgery.
Then start walking.
• Ask for help when you first start getting up.
4Your activity will be increased bit by bit as
follows:
Evening of surgery
• About 6 hours after returning to the unit, we
will help you to a sitting position on the side of
your bed and to the bathroom.
Day after surgery
• Your nurse or physiotherapist will help you up
to the chair at your bedside. If you are feeling
comfortable, they may take you for a walk.
• When lying, sitting or walking, try to keep
good posture.
• Based on your progress, your activity will be
increased each day.
At home
• Keep doing your deep breathing and coughing
exercises. You may take the incentive
spirometer home.
• You can expect to have soreness around the
incisions for up to 2 weeks after surgery. Your
doctor may give you a prescription for pain
medication.
• You may have Steri-Strips™ covering your
incisions for up to 14 days. They can be
removed by taking a warm tub bath or shower.
5• Tell your doctor if your incisions get red or
painful.
• DO NOT lift, push, or pull anything heavier
than 20 pounds for 4-6 weeks. For example:
›› carrying a suitcase or heavy handbag
›› lifting a heavy or full saucepan or dishes
›› lifting a baby or small child
›› moving furniture
›› carrying a grocery bag
›› using the vacuum cleaner or lawn mower
›› changing bed sheets
›› carrying wet or dry laundry
• Walking helps to increase your strength and
keep your lungs clear. Walk regularly, and
slowly at first. You should not get short of
breath or feel exhausted. If this happens, stop
and rest. Next time, walk slower.
• Avoid saunas, soaking in water, hot tubs,
whirlpools and swimming pools for 2 weeks.
These activities can slow the healing of your
incisions.
• Going up and down stairs should not be a
problem. We will practice this with you before
you go home.
• You can go back to sexual activity (sex)
whenever you feel ready.
6• Avoid driving. You should not drive until you
feel you are ready.
• At your followup appointment, talk with your
doctor about what activities you can do.
Nutrition
• You will get a booklet explaining the
Esophageal Soft Diet before discharge. It will
explain how to reintroduce solid foods over
4-6 weeks after surgery.
• It is important that you eat only soft, moist
foods and fluids that are easy to swallow for
6 weeks after surgery.
• Eat and drink slowly.
• Chew solid foods very well.
• Eat 6 small meals per day.
• Some foods can be hard to swallow. DO NOT
eat the foods below and on the next page for
6 weeks:
Grain products
›› Fresh “doughy” or crusty breads, rolls,
bagels, muffins, or biscuits
›› Granola, Shredded Wheat™ and any other
cereals that do not get soft in milk
›› Baked goods with seeds, nuts, coconut or
dried fruit
7Vegetables and fruits
›› Raw vegetables, salads, coleslaw
›› Tough or stringy cooked vegetables such as
spinach, celery, asparagus, corn
›› Raw fruit (except for bananas)
›› Dried fruit
Milk products
›› Stringy melted cheese
›› Yogurt with nuts or granola
Meat and alternatives
›› Dry, tough or stringy meats and poultry
›› Nuts and seeds
›› Hard-boiled or fried eggs
Other
›› Gelatin-type candies (gumdrops, jelly
beans, etc.)
›› Popcorn, chips, tacos
›› Pickles and olives
›› Cakes, pies, pastry
• For more information, please ask for a copy of
the NSHA patient pamphlet Esophageal Soft
Diet.
8Please write down any questions you would like to ask.
Looking for more health information?
Find this pamphlet and all our patient resources here: http://library.nshealth.ca/PatientGuides
Contact your local public library for books, videos, magazines, and other resources.
For more information, go to http://library.novascotia.ca
Connect with a registered nurse in Nova Scotia any time: call 811 or visit https://811.novascotia.ca
Learn about other programs and services in your community: call 211 or visit http://ns.211.ca
Nova Scotia Health Authority promotes a smoke-free, vape-free, and scent-free environment.
Please do not use perfumed products. Thank you!
Nova Scotia Health Authority
www.nshealth.ca
Prepared by: Physiotherapy & 6A, QEII, Halifax ©
Designed by: NSHA Library Services
The information in this brochure is for informational and educational purposes only.
The information is not intended to be and does not constitute health care or medical advice.
If you have any questions, please ask your health care provider.
WI85-0702 Updated March 2018
The information in this pamphlet is to be updated every 3 years or as needed.You can also read
