LAP-BAND with gastric plication

Hello and welcome to the boards. I don't really know anything about the plication but I would encourage you to do some searches of these boards -- I remember seeing people post on this topic in the past.  If it were me, I would want to know why the doctor,  out of the blue just popped in and asked you about it -- how come he didn't mention it when you during the initial consult?    I don't think the plication is very common -- is he well trained in doing it? Would you be able to consult with another surgeon or two to get their opinion?

Just my 2 cents -- 

Trixie  

 Thanks for the input everyone. Just to clarify when I said popped in I dont mean he just stuck his head in and asked Hey can I fold your stomach in with your LAP Band? and then strut away after my stuttered reply. He sat down with me an hour and explained the procedures and some of the benefits and negatives of the surgury. He has preformed 5 of these but stood in about 20. I trust my doctor, hes definitely not out to line his pockets. He asked me because he wanted someone more low key since I have a high pain thresh hold. He did tell me there would be more pain afterwards for awhile. He did say if it did come to the last day I could opt out of the surgury if I wasnt comfortable. He encouraged me to do research and call him with any questions. So thats why Im here :) I wanted to hear first hand expierence. 

I know there are some people on this board who have had the plication with the band and hopefully they will respond to you about their experience.

It sounds like it will be similar to the sleeve, but without having part of your stomach cut away.

Good luck to you whatever your choice might be.  :)

Hmmm.  I guess someone has to be willing to let a surgeon learn, but I don't know if I'd want to be patient #6.  For me, I want a more experienced surgeon on the surgery I'm choosing.  Unless you're in a teaching hospital, that is, and know that up front.

I don't know anything about the plication, but one person I know here had it.  If I can find his name I'll send it to you so you can ask him. 

Best~
Lisa O.

Hey there - read your post with great interest.  I am not going to say your doc is wrong (I am not a doc) but have been around weight loss issues since i was banded in 2003.  My band was great - but now has issues.  I am going with plication as a revision - and having the band removed. 

Wow - I just don't understand why your doc would make this recommendation.  Did he give you a reason?  I didn't see that.  I know of a couple of folks who have had a band over plication but none that have done both together...if it was me - I would look at a sleeve in your case. 

Hope this helps...only you can make the decision...good luck and search well.

Donna 

hi yes i am too new to this site and am having the lap band with what is referred to as a modified plication and it is totally reversible and is supposed to help the band being able to slip and my doctor also said it would help me with more of the hunger control as well i have only seen a couple of people on here that have had this one person i can recommend to read her posts is airhead 74 there is not alot of info out there because it is a fairly new procedure anyway good luck to you i am still going through my 6 mth diet plan as required by my insurance so i cant wait to be finished and begin my journey as well

I have never heard of these 2 procedures being done concurrently but I have to say that I would NEVER let a surgeon perform a procedure on me that he has only done FIVE times.  That is NUTS and # of procedures performed was one of my top 2 points of interest when I researched which surgeon to choose.  Not enough experience for my comfort zone.  About 500 off, actually. Good luck.

For my 2 cents I've not read anything good about plication and as pointed out this is s very new procedure and so they don't know what will happen down the road. I do know our bands build up alot of scar tissue and that would be my concern about the plication, that with all that folding and stapling that there would be an awful lot of scar tissue and what is that going to do years down the road. Myself I would rather go VSG and just have that part of the stomach removed. I don't see the advantage of folding, it's not like they can unfold it after it grows together and what happens to all that folded up tissue? Just seems to me to be a powder keg of potential problems. Also how will that affect any insurance coverage you have? Will it invalidate your band? Will they even allow both of them being done together since the plication seems to still be pretty investigational. Just lots to think about and research. Good luck!

 I am glad you explained that he did not just pop in..

Had me worried there for a minute... But I would  keep in mind --irreversible.  
That is one of the main draws to the LB for me... If something happens, It can come out, or at least the fillcan be removed.... 

An OH member whose user name is airhead_74 (though she is NOT an airhead!) had the band with gastric plication done in January, and as far as I know she's had no problems so far, but as everyone else pointed out, it's a new procedure without much track record. I've asked her to take a look at your thread and share her thoughts about it with you.

And another OH member, Doris, whose user name is islandqueen, recently had just gastric plication and so far is doing great. She lives in Canada and was the first gastric plication patient in Quebec.

I would not automatically conclude, as another poster did, that your doctor is a quack for suggesting plication, especially since that poster has nothing but a feeling about the dangers of plication and can't quote any scientific evidence or studies to prove it. However, I would ask the surgeon if you will be his first plication patient and if so, will a surgeone experienced with plication also be present in the operating room during your surgery.

Jean