Intussusception - A Long Term Post Op RNY Complication

One of the most interesting pieces of information that I got from the surgeon was that the stomach has two rhythmic “pacemakers".  They’re similar to those in the heart in that they stimulate the muscles to contract.  

In a normal stomach, the waves propagate in one direction, pushing the food downward.  After we have R&Y, however, the lower pace-making node is no longer connected to the other and fires independently.  The peristalsis it creates can actually go BACKWARDS in some people.  This explained why the pain that I felt would peak and then subside a little bit.  

 

I thought I knew about all the possible complications, but this one caught me totally off guard.

I've noticed no correlation between pain episodes and having to go to the bathroom.  When my abdominal pain was at its worst, I did have bad lower back pain too.

Where are these two nodes located, in pre-op anatomy?

   MsBatt,

In the diagram that he drew for me, it looked like one was in the fundus area of the stomach and the other near the duodenum.  I'd always been taught that peristalsis was just a reflex caused by the gut being stretched.  I'm trying to learn more about this myself as this is new to me. 

Google "Interstitial Cells of Cajal" - it's fascinating.  

What were your symptoms? I'm assuming they're different from a 'regular' bowel obstruction, since there's no WAY you could live with the symptoms of an obstruction for a month.

Intussusception can compromise the circulation to the bowel wall. May I ask why they are waiting to repair this? Maybe I am misunderstanding.....

Sometimes the intestine slides back out on its own, so the imminent danger passes.  If not, the patient has to undergo emergency surgery.

Wow, who would know, thanks

It's spooky.  I'd been having intermittent bouts of abdominal pain for years and never knew what was causing it.

Sorry you're going through that.

All's been quiet since I had to go to the ER.  I'm hoping it stays that way.