Saturday, October 3, 2009

Surgery is done, and all is well

Loki underwent surgery this morning to put in his G-tube, and he is fine. After a slightly bumpy first couple hours as the anesthesia wore off, we are back on the same floor of UCSF Children's Hospital as we were for nine days back in July, and for two days in April. It is not good to be back in a hospital, but there is something reassuring about being somewhere we know. Loki will probably stay here for 48 hours, until Sunday afternoon, just to monitor for infection or other problems.

I'd like to describe the procedure. Loki didn't really get a tube today, but instead a plug into which a tube can be inserted. The plug is shaped something like a rivet, with large discs on each side, and a small short shaft connecting them. The trick was to install it into a small hole through his abdominal and stomach walls--a hole only as large as the small connecting shaft, and is thus covered on both the inside and outside by the larger discs.

After being anesthetized, and intubated with a breathing tube, an endoscope (video camera on a tube) was inserted down his mouth and esophagus, into his stomach. It shined a light bright enough that it could be seend from the outside. The goal was to find an accessible spot with nothing (such as an intestine) between the stomach and the abdominal wall. Once located, a large IV needle with a string inside was inserted from the outside into the stomach. The endoscope then grabbed the string, and the needle was removed. As the endoscope was pulled out, the string went up the esophagus with it.

From here, my understanding is a little uncertain. I believe that half of the G-tube button (the inside disc plus the shaft) was then threaded with and tied to the string coming out of his mouth. As the string was pulled out of the hole in his abdomen, the half-plug went down his esophagus, into his stomach, and then up against the stomach wall with the shaft sticking out. The outside disc was then pushed onto the other half.

Mom will spend the night here at the hospital, then tomorrow I will. Our friends from Nederland are kind enough to pay a visit in the hospital.

13 comments:

berkeleygal77 said...

Hope the little dude heals quickly!

Unknown said...

sleep well, all of you, if possible--see you soon!

marieke said...

FIngers are crossed and all good thoughts are flying over to Loki
Big hug for Loki, mom and dad,
X Marieke

Anonymous said...

Lieve Mensen,
Wat fijn dat alles goed is gegaan. We duimen weer voor een goed herstel ! Liefs, Willem en Edith

Unknown said...

Happy it went well!
Love to you three,
Anastasia

fransje melief said...

Good to hear all went well. Love and quick healing from Fransje & Mathijs.

Kyra said...

Hurray! Now let's prepare for the party...

Kyra said...

I mean, enough surprises for this year, trickster!

Unknown said...

So glad, the vacation went fairly smooth, even though it's understandable that Loki is doing better in his regular environment. It must be stressful to be back int he hospital for all of you, but I am glad the surgery went well. Let's hope he will adjust well to the g-tube and keep thriving. Can't wait to celebrate his first birthday.

Thinking of you and feeling with you. Sincerely hope you will have a break from hospitals for a while.

Love,
Mascha

Unknown said...

Thoughts are with you all - Loki is a tough guy and hopefully will recover quickly! Our love,

Anonymous said...

I am so happy to hear that Loki's surgery went well. he will recover swiftly - the strong little man that he is! i am sending good thoughts your way, and i know you will all soon be sleeping in your home again very soon! kisses to loki, courtney

Greet said...

Lieve ouders en Loki, gelukkig dat alles goed is gegaan, een goed hersten voor Loki en rust voor de ouders wens ik jullie.
en nu op naar de 1e verjaardag.
lieve groet van Greet

Suzan said...

Fijn dat alles goed is gegaan!

Liefs,
Suzan

About Loki Sky

Loki Sky is a special little man. He was a very early micropreemie, weighing only 610 grams (1 lb, 5 oz) after 24 weeks, 3 days gestation, born to an American Father and a Dutch Mother in Berkeley, California on October 18, 2008.

On January 11, 2009, while still in the hospital NICU, his one kidney stopped working. It was repaired after three surgeries. After spending time in three hospitals in three cities, Loki came home on February 17. He struggled with eating, and then stopped in July, leading to 8 days in the hospital, a failure-to-thrive diagnosis, and a NG feeding tube. On October 10, a minor surgery installed a G feeding tube. Another procedure replaced it with a new one, and then again with a Mic-Key button in Jan. 2010.

In August 2010, he and his parents moved to the Netherlands.

Read about his first name.
Read & hear about his middle name.
See photos.
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