Diet Modification Prior to Surgery
Two days before your hiatal hernia repair, you should start a clear liquid diet. Do not eat or drink anything beginning eight hours prior to your scheduled operation. The reason for the clear liquid diet is to help "shrink" the liver prior to surgery, which improves exposure of your hiatal hernia during the operation.
Diet Modification Following Hiatal Hernia Repair
After surgery, you will be admitted for 23-hour observation and pain control. You will be discharged home within 23 hours on a full liquid diet. You will stay on a full liquid diet for two weeks, after which Dr. Madni will advance you to a soft diet for an additional two weeks. You should return to a regular diet four weeks after surgery.
This diet modification is important because swelling at the gastroesophageal junction is normal after surgery, and you may find that solid foods “get stuck.” This is expected during the first four weeks, which is why we recommend gradual dietary progression as the swelling subsides.
Long-Term Lifestyle Changes Following Hiatal Hernia Repair
This procedure is designed to be an anti-reflux surgery, and most patients will be unable to belch to relieve gastric air after the operation. For this reason, we recommend avoiding the use of straws and carbonated beverages (such as beer, soda, and sparkling water).
For patients suffering from severe, medically refractory reflux, avoiding these beverages is a small trade-off for a lifetime without reflux symptoms.