Kyle's still in All Children's Hospital. They have tried several times to wean him off the oxygen and he'll do okay for a little while but then his saturation levels drop again. Last week, they did a scope (through the G-tube) to see what was going on with his reflux since it seems like he can't keep anything down. They saw a couple of instances of reflux while they were in there and are concerned that with his reflux being so severe, he may continue to aspirate into the lungs and get pneumonia again. With his existing lung problems (bronchopulmonary dysplasia) from being on the ventilator so long, he doesn't need the added damage from pneumonia.
The doctors are now discussing possibly doing a procedure called Fundoplication. It is a surgery to essentially wrap the upper curve of the stomach around the esophagus and sew it in place. This strengthens the valve between the esophagus and the stomach which prevents the acid from backing up into the esophagus as easily. The problem with this procedure (and why it's not done lightly - it's a last resort) is that the procedure most of the time makes the child completely inable to burp or vomit - even when they are older. However severe this risk may be, it is not as severe as the risk for damage to his lungs without it.
For those who are curious about the procedure and not too squeamish, here is a link to a site with pictures of the procedure.
We haven't been able to get a straight answer on when (or even a definite if) they are going to do the surgery. It may be this week - it may be several weeks.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment