Newbie here...

Hi all!!! Iam waiting for insurance approval and am opting lap surgery. There is a problem though, my surgeon has never done lap he has however done open cut, Iam 4th on his list for lap...what do you think? I do trust him and do believe that everyone needs to start somewhere right??? Anyway Iam anxious to get this done! Thanks, Janet

Gee, Janet, I would be pretty leary. Yes, someone has to be first but usually, I believe, they have an experienced lap surgeon standing right along side them while they do the first ones. Is he doing this? If not, I would run, not walk, to another surgeon. There are many around who do Laps & are experienced. No need to take chances just to get it done sooner. Your life is worth more than that! Dixie

Janet- At one of our recent support groups, a surgeon had just returned from a Bariatric surgeons convention and said that the chances for leaks with a lap was fairly high. Leaks from an open RNY are more rare. Alot of surgeons do the laps- none of the surgeons in Grinell do them now. I went there because they have been do the RNY surgeries for so long. In this case, I'd go with experience. Jeri H.

surgeons in eastern iowa quit doing laps. usually have to go do open later. if you want the lap , try a bariatric center. they do a lot of them.

Janet, I guess I have to throw in my 2 cents worth on this. I think if you check with your surgeon what he's doing is that (like the docs that started this year at Mercy Capitol in DSM) the surgeon performs this procedure so many times as an open and then proceeds to lap. They do this in order to know the procedure backward and forward, that way in case something is not right during the lap they can complete it as an open. I would double check this, of course. Also, you might ask how many years has he been doing lap procedures such as appendectomies or gall bladder removals? Most likely if he's older than 45, he's been doing them for about 15 years. So it's probably not like he's never done a lap procedure. And I don't know of too many surgeons who don't have an assist by another surgeon in every procedure that they do. I had mine done lap (7 weeks today) and other than the occasional "oh I shouldn't have taken such a big bite" I couldn't even tell I have had surgery. My energy level is coming back and I have been back at work since the end of October. My lap scars are healing well and not sore at all. When my doc was all finished with the procedure, he told my husband that when they put everything together, he wasn't quite pleased with the result so they took it apart and did it again. I think he's a perfectionist, but that's quite alright with me. Although my doc is just celebrating the first year of his bariatric practice, he had MUCH previous experience as a general surgeon with both open and laparascopic procedures. He also had this operation done on himself by a colleague in Minnesota. I feel very fortunate to have done my research and found a very caring and careful physician. I guess that's more than 2 cents, but ...... Anyway, good luck on your journey - Deb W.

Thanks Deb and everyone else for your replys and advice...I asked for it and I got it lol. Deb I was so glad to hear that you had it lap as you are the first one to whom Ive been able to talk to that has had it done lap! Your right about my surgeon having the experience with the open because he does and is now learning the lap way and yes he will have an experienced surgeon with him, Im just not sure if he will have him with my surgery??? He has left the decision up to me and with that I respect him! I have no doubt he can do the lap I have alot of faith in him!!! OK another question....if there is a leak they do go in and repair it right? Is that the biggest risk with having it done lap???? I had once heard that if it blows that means instant death, but what are the chances of this happening, does anyone know? Again thanks all!!! BTW I love this site.... OH Iam having the surgery in Ida Grove, Iowa about 45 miles SE of Sioux City a fairly small hospital(you just can't beat the care you get in a hometown hospital). Janet

Hi Deb, My surgery is next Tuesday in Cedar Falls. Hopefully it will be a Lap. My surgeon usually does Lap but ocassionally he has to make it an open if cir****tances require it. About leaks, I believe that all the surgeons check for leaks either while still in surgery or shortly after. In my case, I will have absolutely nothing by mouth, including ice chips, until the next day when I will have an upper GI to check for leaks. If one is found he goes back in & repairs it. By the way, Janet, my niece teaches in in the Galva/ Holstein school district. Dixie

WELCOME. I have yet to be scheduled for surgery. By the way who is your surgeon or if you don't wish to say where is your surgery going to be done at. Good luck with things and I guess you just will know whether it is the right situation for you or not.

Welcome Janet! Deb has made some good points. Look at it this way- if you wanted to order a wedding cake from someone who had just started in the business, you would naturally be kind of leery trusting your special day to that. But remember, the decorator KNOWs she is on full view just starting a new business. She is going to do everything in her power to make sure the first one turns out great! And she would have practiced and practiced and practiced to make sure of that! If she doesn't feel confident/serious about the success of her first "real" event, her business could fail. Also like anyone just learning a new craft or art, the first few times you do it, you would go exactly "by the book" until you are practiced enough to know which steps might be consolidated for the sake of efficiency(I stress that consolidating steps for efficiency sake NOT safety might be the compromise in the case of surgery). I don't think a doctor would want to attempt a surgery he does not feel confident doing. Especially when he/she pays thousands of dollars in malpractice insurance he hopes he never has to use. Some of the best surgeons had to start somewhere! They don't just dive into a live person with a handbook in front of them and hope for the best! LOL!! The bottom line is how YOU feel about your surgeon. If your intuition says he seems confident and knowledgeable, then do what you think is best. Ask him to give you details about his training before you make your final decision.

Hiya Michelle....thxs for your support!!! I have read many of your posts and I think you are the most POSITIVE person in here with ALOT of good advice!!! Thanks again, Janet