risk question

I have tried to find the mortality rate of this surgery but have been unsuccessful. I got up the courage to tell two good friends about my decision and both went on to scare me with people they know who died. ALthough..i am not sure exactly the reasons they did. I was just wondering if anyone knew the percentage rate?? thanks deanna

Hi Deanna, The amswer is VERY misleading. I hear it's between 1 & 2%, but you need to take into consideration the reasons why these unfortunate deaths happened. BMI, age, comorbidities are all factors, same with Dr experience and even hospital training. There are too many doctors jumping on the bandwagon without proper training, and unfortunately too many patients are going to these doctors because the wait is less then a highly-skilled, trained professional. But the unfortunate can happen to anyone, at any time. Our main line of defense is to be educated, have faith in your doctor and follow their instructions to a T. I knew the risks of surgeyr but I thought that I will die a lot sooner if I do not have the surgery, and quality of life was also an issue. I have a 2-year old son and I want to be around for him, and eventually be around for Grandkids. He was my reason for the surgery and I'm sure glad I did it.

Good Morning Deanna, I have told one of my good friends and she was telling me it is a dangerous operation and I could die from this surgery blah blah My advise is to go to Gathering party and ask alot of questions to Post op people and pre op people. You have to trust your surgeon who you will decide to pick to perform on you. Come to June 12 and that people are not scare you about people who died. I never heard nobody died from Ct. so far....... We are here and support you but your friends do not understand what we went through struggle our weight problems. I am looking forward to meet you on June 12th Kathy

thanks all for your words of encouragement....you are right...i nor they know the exact reasons these people died...what complications they went through...i do have to work on a profile...as i havent figured out how to do that.....i will try to make the june 12th gathering. i will definitely be at dr bells support group on june 8th..thanks again deanna

Deanna, 1% to 2% mortality is fairly common as a national average. However, that national rate has nothing to do with YOUR surgeon. The figure that matters is the one that he gives you. So, what is YOUR SURGEON'S mortality rate and what does he feel are your largest risk factors? Many risk factors can be mitigated by taking precautions ahead of time. Your friends actually know people who died as a direct result of this surgery? They know the exact cir****tances of their deaths and what their medical issues were? If they did, I'd be very surprised. Since I've been 'hanging round' here for years and am only vaguely aware of 2 people who have died. I didn't really know them at all. One died immediately after surgery from blood clot issues the other died post-wls (by many years) from heart failure (I don't think he counts as a WLS death). I'd really challenge my friends on what they 'know' VS what they think they know. Every surgery is individual. Risk varies by patient. Your profile says nothing, so I can't be more specific in pointing out particular risks for you...but, you can and should speak to your surgeon about this issue. Good luck. It's sometimes difficult to get people to realize that you know what you're getting into and accept the risks. Best, Lisa C

As the ladies have mentioned, the mortality rate is 1-2%, but there are so many factors that have to be taken into consideration, such as co-morbids and doctor skill, etc. I know that my doctor has done roughly 1500 surgeries, and 2 patients have died, and they were from blood clots. I think having an experienced doctor is your best bet; waiting a few more months is more than worth it. Best of luck on your exploration journey. Best, Kathy F.

hi deanna i agree with what everyone has already said. you have to check the real reason for the deaths because like lisa C said they may have died after wls BUT other factors were involved like bad hearts to start with. i know of another CT women who died barbara porter... she had her surgery in october 03 and died this past month BUT she had been on dialysis for years and alot of her organs had failed leading to her death. so most of the time the deaths are not exactly related to wls. good luck and i hope to meet you at the get together. cheryl k

Kathy's pluggin the party! Woo Hoo, can't wait!! Deanna: The Dietitian that works with my doctor broke it down in more simpler terms for me. She states 1 in 200 people will die. The most commons reasons for death are Pulmonary Embolism and Leaks. If you have a history of blood clotting, speak to your surgeon about this. There is a temporary filter that can be inserted in a vein during surgery to catch a clot before reaching your lungs. I recommend choosing a surgeon that uses a drain. They can detect leaks quicker. I wouldn't trust a doctor that goes based on a swallow test alone. There is a wealth of information to be found here and really, everything I know, I know because of OH. GET ACTIVE! Surf through profiles, read the boards and go to area support meetings! You don't have to "have a date" to really jump on the educational wagon. I wish you luck! Tara