VSG surgeon in Nebraska?

My insurance does not cover any type of WLS.  I am looking into different types of surgery and am interested in learning more about VSG....I've got to look up what those letters stand for!  Anyway, since I would have to self pay I like what I have learned about this procedure.

I am very limited in my knowledge about this type of surgery but I thought I read that there were onlhy like 80 surgeons who do this procedure.  I Bet that number is starting to grow as it becomes more popular.  At my seminar at UNMC in January, this wasn't even mentioned as an option.  I am going to the seminar again tomorrow to support a friend and I will be interested in hearing if they mention it now. OH has a forum just for this procedure so I am sure that you can get more information on it there. Good luck.

Hi, could you be talking about VBG? That is a vertical banded gastroplasty. Those procedures aren't done anymore. The band wasn't adjustable and people weren't able to maintain weight loss. There is also the gastric sleeve operation. The surgeon makes a small tunnel of stomach.The gastric band is the least invasive of all the procedures available. If you need additional information please feel free to contact me. Mona

A VSG is a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, and Dr. Anthone in Omaha does them, it is step one in a DS surgery although it can be done alone. There is a lot of info on the DS board about both surgeries, and the VSG board will be able to give you even more info. I have also read posts on the VSG board about out of town docs and their prices. Those folks seem to be very happy with their choices, in fact, some people who have to do the DS in two stages for whatever medical reason do not always go back for part two since they are so pleased with just the VSG and if you have a "lower" BMI (<50) you may not want a full DS since you are self paying. Good luck.

UNMC does do this procedure in Omaha and it was discussed like the previous poster described - as stage 1 of a 2 stage process but you don't have to come back in to have stage 2 done.  They didn't give a price though.  They did say that Lap Band was $17500 and Bypass was $25k-$30k self pay so that may give you some idea.

because the DS is discriminated against by the insurance industry, as experimental, Aetna just approved it last year as did medicare, or I would be done now, I cant have the rny, impossible, many choose to go to Mexico or Brazil where the total cost is about 13k including air fair , come to the ds forum for details. I'm here to learn about Dr Antone.