complication rate statistics?

Hi I have been lurking here for a long time off and on. I started to look into WLS in 2009 but due to insurance changes did not go through with it. I am now half way through the 6 month supervised diet phase and was originally leaning towards the Lap-Band. I am currently leaning more towards VSG. I keep reading on here about the complications and failures (which is why I originally was looking at RNY back in 2009). A lot of different people keep talking about how high the complication rates are. Does anyone have any verifiable statistics? I am 90% sure I want to go with the VSG but I would like to see the numbers that back what I have been reading.


Thanks

 Most of the studies I see quoted are either based on small numbers (a few hundred people out of hundreds of thousands of band procedures) or old studies or both.

You really should pose this question to your doctor.  In regards to both VSG and the Band. My doctor's office said the national average for Band revision is 24% and that includes port repairs. My doctor's office is part of the center of excellence and I don't think they make this up. They have been very persistent to have preop candidates hear the good, bad and the very ugly. They stress the unusual could be you and not to think that those things happen to other people. There was one woman in the group that had a band, revised to something else due to band issues and then had one more surgery to revise again...if that surgery wasn't going to work, she was looking at a feeding tube permanently. Rare I'm sure, but a risk is a risk. Her surgeon was able to complete the 3rd surgery and she's doing well w/ no feeding tube. (This woman was at goal weight or near it at the time her problems began. Sorry, I don't recall the exact details better).

Good luck.

I don't have stats either except that when I had my band emptied, because it continued to tighten for no reason, the surgeon told me that at least 1/5 of their patients were unable to keep their bands because their bodies just couldn't tolerate the band itself. If I knew then what I know now I would never have gotten the band and it was my only option because of other health issues. I would rather have stayed fat than have a band, especially since I only lost 20 lbs. I would strongly suggest you stick with the sleeve.

That's a good question. I do have some stats, but  I don't really think they are accurate. Bariatric surgeons are not required to report band complications, so for the most part..........they don't. If you look at actual stats..........but then follow the band forum and revision forum for a few months, it becomes clear that complication rates are actually much higher than stated. :-(

I will say this.............Had I known then what I know now, I never would have gotten the band!!!

Now here's an article that you might want to read. Especially since it's from the ASMBS:


ASMBS Band Gets Low Marks

 i had a band placed in 2006, lost around 70lbs.  about a year later i had a prolapse(slip), had a surgery to revise it and dr put in a new band.  a year later it prolapsed again.  that time i had it removed.  im here now 4 years later and im thinking about getting the sleeve, as the band just wasnt right for my body.  hope that helped :)