Can you perform the Heimlich on a person with a fundal plication?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Mar 14, 2004

HIATAL HERNIA: A portion of the stomach breaking through the diaphragm and into the chest cavity to cause heartburn. This condition is not always bad news ... only when it causes stomach acid to backup into the esophagus ---called reflux.

Treatment: Hiatal hernias can be corrected through a surgical repair that may involve the insertion of a scope through a tiny incision (laparoscopic surgery). This surgery is called "fundal plication" and involves folding the stomach around the esophagus to make a valve that prevents stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus

Heimlich is contraindicated in clients after this surgery.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Mar 14, 2004

It makes sense to try back blows first, but if it's a choice between clearing an airway obstruction that could kill him, or maybe damaging a surgical site, I'd clear the airway every time no matter what it took.

cannoli · Mar 14, 2004

A lot of adults have this surgery also, have seen a lot on the post op floor. If you were in a restaurant you would never know whether they had had one or not most likely, unless someone with them spoke up and said it was contraindicated.

Good question, good answer too.

Learned something again today.

Thanks.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 14, 2004

If you put the child across your knees, with the head tilted downwards, you can safely deliver back blows and dislodge any stuck food or item. This trick also works great with puppies and small dogs.

Have had success with it, on both dogs and small kids. :balloons:

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 14, 2004

I am with Canoehead.

warrior woman · Mar 14, 2004

Thanks guys. I'm with Canoe on this too. It only makes sense.

jaimealmostRN · Mar 14, 2004

If you put the child across your knees, with the head tilted downwards, you can safely deliver back blows and dislodge any stuck food or item. This trick also works great with puppies and small dogs.
Have had success with it, on both dogs and small kids. :balloons:

I am interested in pet CPR/Heimlich as I am a mommy of 2 cats and a young dog.... How exactly do you deliver the back blows? Like you would to a human? Would you do them over the spine area? Thanks.

dosamigos76, RN · Mar 14, 2004

My daughter had this procedure done at 7 months of age. She is now 13. She CANNOT throw up anything from her stomach. If something is stuck in her eosaphagus (sp), then that can come up, but nothing else. I had a doctor argue the fact with me.....wanna guess who won that? When she has any kind of surgery where there is the potential for swallowing blood, they HAVE to provide extra suctioning for her, since she can't throw it up. Flu's and such last much longer for her because of her inability to regurgitate.

HTH

Cheryl M

suzanne4, RN · Mar 14, 2004

For the cat and dog lovers out there: hold the pet with the head lower than the rest of the body and tap on the back the same way you were taught with a baby.

Yes, I am sure that I would do the full Heimlich if I did not know the patient's history, but most parents if they are alone with a child at home when this happens would be very scared to do anything near the incision or old surgical area. With the flow of gravity downwards, I have never had this way not work for me, with both kids and pets.

:balloons: