Looking for a VSG Surgeon in or near St. Louis

Has anyone on this board had the VSG (Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy) done in Missouri, or anywhere close (within a few hours) of St. Louis? It's a relatvely new stand alone procedure, and all of the bariatric surgeons in this area either do RNY or LapBand, and that's not what I want. If I can't find a local surgeon, I'll be forced to travel to San Francisco or South Florida to have it done, and obviously a local doc would be preferable. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! Cory

Hi Cory, If you'll go to Forums at the top of the page and go to surgery types, you'll find the VSG forum. I just checked there and the surgery you want is listed and also I found that my doctor, Phillip Hornbostel, does this type of surgery. There are also doctors in Evanston, IL, and several other IL cities. Hope this helps you and good luck with your search. Linda

Oops, sorry, I'm mistaken. I guess I hit the wrong thing. It must have slipped to VBG instead. I'm sorry to get your hopes up. The article I read says there are only 15 surgeons worldwide. It also said it is still considered investigational. Linda

Cory I had the VSG in Columbia Missouri Dr. Scott is the surgeon that did mine. And trust me I cant say enough good things about him and his staff. If you need any information please feel free to email me I will answer any and all question I can for you. [email protected] God Bless Melissa

Thanks Melissa, that's exactly what I wanted to hear. Dr. Scott was the surgeon I was investigating and his staff said that he would do it, but normally does it as a 2 stage procedure, the 2nd phase being for DS or RNY for higher BMI patients. I thought if he could do it for the 2 stage process, why not just do the VSG without part II? Makes sense to me! I'll make sure I email you with any additional questions. Thanks so much for your reply! Cory

What is the VSG? How is it different? Just curious. Thanks

Brenda VGS stands for Vertical Gastric Sleeve. Usually they do this on people who have a higher BMI. They actually remove the section of your stomach that your not no longer gonna use. And they dont mess with any of your intestines. I had mine done in April 24th of this year. And so far I have lost 68lbs. I still have to do everything that RNY people have to do ei: Drink at least 64 oz of fluids a day. 50 to 60 grams of protein a day, B-12, Biotin, Calcium, Iron, Multivitimns, exercise. The VGS just is a newer way of doing Gastric Bypass Surgery. I hope this information helps you understand it better. If not go to Forums, Click on Surgery Type Forums, then click on VGS. There they will have options to choose from and that explains in more detail about VGS. Love ya Melissa

Brenda, Good luck with your WLS journey...you picked a great surgical team....I am very interested in this surgery as well. I know someone that really needs WLS but, he is scared to undergo RNY because he is scared of the risks and is considering having the lapband. Melissa, So I take it that you will still malabsorb?? So they reduced your stomach size but, did not bypass any of your intestines...correct? I'm going to try and get him and his wife to attend the meeting next week. Honestly I'm concerned about the chairs and wish they would have a few bigger seats...I'm not certain he will have any place that he can sit. Kelli

Kelli This is what I copied for you. Would love to see you at the meeting. Approx what does the friend that you wanna bring weigh?? I think those chairs are pretty strong. Lord knows they held my big butt and kept me off the ground. Restriction (Vertical Gastrectomy): The stomach is restricted by dividing it vertically and removing more than 85 percent of it. This part of the procedure is not reversible. The stomach that remains is shaped like a thin banana and measures from 2-5 ounces (60 - 150cc) depending on the surgeon performing the procedure. The nerves to the stomach and the outlet valve (pylorus) remain intact with the idea of preserving the functions of the stomach while reducing the volume. By comparison, in a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the stomach is divided, not removed, and the pylorus is excluded. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass stomach can be reconnected (reversed) if necessary. Note that there is no intestinal bypass or malabsorption with this procedure, only stomach reduction. Vertical Gastrectomy Advantages * Stomach volume is reduced, but it tends to function normally so most food items can be consumed in small amounts. * Eliminates the portion of the stomach that produces the hormones that stimulates hunger (Ghrelin). * No dumping syndrome because the pylorus is preserved. * Minimizes the chance of an ulcer occurring. * By avoiding the intestinal bypass, the chance of intestinal obstruction (blockage), anemia, osteoporosis, protein deficiency and vitamin deficiency are almost eliminated. * Very effective as a first stage procedure for high BMI patients (BMI >55 kg/m2). * Limited results appear promising as a single stage procedure for low BMI patients (BMI 35-45 kg/m2). * Appealing option for people with existing anemia, Crohn's disease and numerous other conditions that make them too high risk for intestinal bypass procedures. * Can be done laparoscopically in patients weighing more than 500 pounds Love ya Melissa

Great information and thanks Melissa...I'll pass it along!!