Fundoplication (timing of)
What is a good age and/or weight to have stomach surgery for reflux?
Most babies outgrow reflux. Children with CdLS often don’t outgrow it. We do surgery when medical therapy fails. Failure includes:
1. Growth failure from vomiting
2. Respiratory disease from GER
3. Refractory esophagitis on biopsy
I would do aggressive medical therapy first, including medication and dripping feeds into the stomach or small intestine. The smaller you are and the more “complicated” a patient you may be, the worse you do with surgery. A fundoplication has at least a 20% serious complication rate in children with special needs.
CP/TK 7-13-10
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