Zac- The Verdict!

***Disclaimer***

I am not a doctor, nor a radiologist... I am a Mom. I may not know exactly what everything is called and as you look at the X-ray pictures below, maybe I labeled something slightly off. However, I do my best in taking care of my kids and I think I have a pretty good understanding of what is going on in Zac's body. I will relay the information as best as I remember it!

We met with an AMAZING Pediatric Surgeon this morning at Phoenix Children's Hospital. He was truly a breath of fresh air. He came in with the report from the radiologist and started talking about how Zac has a hiatal hernia, etc. He asked us some basic questions about the amounts he vomits, etc. We then told him that we brought the digital films (We had the upper GI done at a different hospital) and the nurse was loading them on his computer. He asked us to wait a minute while he took a look.

5 minutes later he walked back in, eyes open wide... "Wow...that is pretty incredible" were his first words. He went on to explain that Zac does have a hiatal hernia, however, the herniated portion of his stomach is over half of his stomach. This was something we kind of knew just from looking at the pictures ourselves. From the way he was talking, it was clear that he has never seen a hiatal hernia this large. He said he has a hard time even calling it a hiatal hernia due to the massiveness of it. He said Hiatal Hernia's only present themselves this way in less than 1% of all hiatal hernias!

I've included a few of the pictures from the digital files and labeled them so that you can get a better look. Click on the pictures to enlarge them if you need to!

(Wow, I'm pretty proud of myslef for labeling all of those!)

Pretty interesting isn't it?

The doctor explained the surgery to us. They will attempt to perform the surgery laparoscopically with a camera through the belly button. They will then make 3 additional incisions. There is a possibility that they will not be able to perform it laparoscopically but they will not know that until they get in there. He said the massive hernia is so large they cannot see exactly the placement of the spleen and other things to determine if the laparoscopic way will work. He is pretty hopeful that it will but if not they will need to make an abdominal incision. He also gave one other possibility of something else being wrong within the diaphragm wall, possibly an additional tear (I think). Essentially he will be performing two different procedures while in there. Surgery is scheduled for June 15th. Zac will be in the hospital for 2-4 days, hmm, not sure what to do with a baby in the hospital for that long...

There are risks of the herniated portion twisting up because it is so large. A few weeks ago Zac was very sick and we had to take him to ER because he couldn't keep a thing down for 10 seconds. It's possible that it was twisted and has gone back. The doctor said if that happens again, it is very serious and we need to get him in right away.

Am I worried? Of course a little bit, surgery always comes with risks. I have faith that he will be fine and that this will finally relieve him of the pain and discomfort that he has suffered his entire little life. He is a trooper and I know he will be good as new when it's all said and done!