Lap vs Open DS.

I think the best way is the way your surgeon is the most comfortable doing it. I had mine lap, and my recovery was extremely easy, but others who had it lap have had horrendous pain. I've also had a c-section and didn't find that to be so bad, either.

I would have been on board with having it done open if that's what my surgeon thought was the best for my situation.

Karen

 I just saw my first OPEN DS scar on a friend's abdomen this past week.  He had his open DS by a prominent surgeon in California.  

I was AMAZED at what I saw.  It wasn't a stem-to-stern, start-at-the xyphoid process-curve-around-the-umbilicus- and-extend-to-the-pubic-bone incison like I was expecting.  It was all of 6 inches, midline, and above the umbilicus and looked awesome.  It was literally not much more than the sum total of incisions from a laparoscopic procedure.  

It completely changed my opinion of open DS procedures, which I NEVER would have considered preop because of my pre-concieved notions of the incision from Hades and extended recovery times.  Times have changed as far as I can tell.  This guy was 6 weeks out when I saw him and he looked phenomenal!  

The lap DS is the only surgery I have ever had so I have no point of comparison.
At two years out, my scars are nearly nonexistent. I was in a lot of pain after surgery, but nothing as bad as I expected. I couldn't tolerate the pain meds that I was offered and only got a minimum dose of Tylenol. Uggggg.  I feel that I healed very quickly and was doing very well 5 days out. I was careful not to over do it though. Dr. Rabkin is such a pro that I went along with whatever he suggested. Surgery lasted only 3 hours.

Dr. Maguire only does open DS, which is fine with me. I had to have an ovary removed that couldn't be done lap so I know what a larger incision feels like. It's ok. Good drugs are there for a reason and honestly, don't really care how I get the DS, just as long as I get it from a great surgeon and I do indeed get it. Thanks for the post =)

My DS was open. I personally did not care how she did it as long as I got a FULL DS!! My surgeon told me she wouldn't do lap on me because my BMI was too high. I didn't mind at all. I have had surgery both ways. They both hurt but I got the results I was looking for both ways.

I do have an incisional hernia. MY fault. BUT, maybe just maybe I'll get some kind of plastics when I have it repaired. I always TRY to find the silver lining.

I have my DS. I had pain, hell I had major surgery, pain was expected. The DS is soooooo worth it.

My scar is about 6 inches long. It is fading nicely. The only person who sees it is my DH, well sometimes I "show it off". I know this is gonna sound weird but sometimes I look at it and smile. It reminds me of what I was privileged to have, the gift of the DS! I'll tell you I look a lot better with a six inch scar, hernia, and loose skin then I did at my highest of 346lbs. And I FEEL 1000 times better.

Ruby

Never even thought about doing mine open. I think it definitely depends on the skills of the surgeon. The younger the surgeon the more comfortable they are will the tools because they all grew up playing video games and their hand/eye coordination is so much better.

I honestly prefer lap because there are no outside scars and less chance of infection. Recovering from my TT was 100% harder than recovery from the DS.

I'm pretty sure my surgeon was barely 40--if that--when I had my band-to-DS revision done open.  He does more lap now...but he's not old and he's likely still more experienced with open than lap.

Sorry but I disagree with your statemen Janet--my surgeon was 69 when he did my surgery and he's one of the top DS surgeons in the world! He did an amazing job and I'd use him again without a second thought.

Guess I should have said "most". I obviously didn't mean to make a blanket statement. Of course anyone can be skilled in lap surgery - just think that the younger the doctor the more likely they have good hand/eye coordination because they grew up on computer games.