48 Hours Investigates

For anyone who missed the 48 Hour Investigates show on Friday night about gastric bypass surgery - check it out on www.cbs.com. I thought the peice was very balanced and fair, in showing both sucesses and failures equally. I personally think that surgeon should be put on an operating table and let someone as qualified as he is, operate on him. The news article emphasizes what needs to be stated more and more - before having this surgery - RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!! Because the wait is so long for the truly gifted surgeons (I waited 10 months for my surgery), people opt out for the surgeon who has a lessor weight time. Think about it - there MUST be a reason why the wait time is less and I can bet you the million dollars I don't have, it's because of lack of experience. It took me 3 years to decide to have the surgery done - on top of the 10 month wait and if there's one major peice of advice I can pass along is this: Just because he's a surgeon, it doesn't make him a BARIACTRIC surgeon. It is your responsibility and yours alone to make sure your surgeon is someone who knows what he's doing and you feel confident in him. If you have to wait, so be it - it beats being dead! After you've PROPERLY screened for a surgeon - at your first consultation with him/her, you need to ask the BIG questions - how many of your patients develop complications and what type? Have any of your patients died and why? How many of these procedures have you done successfully? Is the hospital you operate in knowledgeable in gastric bypass recooperation techniques? When I sat down with my surgeon, I asked all of these questions and each answer was given open and honestly. I never felt like he was telling a tall tale or trying to cover something up. Also, because my surgeon has an aftercare program you have to belong to after surgery, I was able to meet many of his previous patients, including one of his OR nurses, who also had the surgery. I knew after meeting with him and talking with those people I had the best possible surgeon to go forward with. (After surgery care is the second biggest level of importance after picking a surgeon!) Sorry if I sound preachy, but I've been reading alot lately where people are rushing without the proper research and it makes me shudder ever time I hear this. You have ONE life, so if you're trying to improve it, you need to do ALL you can to assure you're going to have a life after surgery. Good luck to all those in their search - keep asking those questions - it's the only way to get where you really want to go. Denise

Denise, I couldn't agree you with you more. It seems like you did as much research as I did and more. The questions you pose are great questions and should be answers. I asked the same ones myself, but I have to tell you that my surgeon (Dr. T) didn't have much of a wait because he recently graduated from his fellowship in bariatric and laparascopic surgery and was new to the area. I think the wait shouldn't be the measure of how good a surgeon is, but the number of cases the surgeon does and their training. In my research I found out that a surgeon should do at least 100 procedures supervised in a fellowship before they are qualified. Many of the doctors are using patients to get to that 100. I also found out that my doctor and his partner, Dr Brolin get all the patients that the other doctors don't want to operate on becuase they are challenging cases. I would add two more questions to the great questions you posted: is the surgeon fellowship trained in bariatric and laparoscopic surgery (alot of them go to a class for three days and say they are fellowship trained) and ask are they board certified in surgery. In my research I found out that there are only two American Board of Bariatric surgery approved fellowships and Dr. Tichansky graduated from one of the programs. The second question is about the aftercare program specifics. You mentioned that your surgeon has a support group, so did mine that's another reason why I chose him.

You are quite right Donna - those questions should be asked as well! I think part of the problem with a lot of the states or the AMA for that matter, is there are not stiffer laws requiring a specific or certain amount of training. Nor a more severe guideline for what happens to those who continually botch these surgeries. While this is a life saving surgery in many ways, there needs to be some kind of control of how it's performed. It scares me when I think of the number of people (some close friends and family!) who rush to this decision or think it's so much simpler then it really is. I'm grateful everyday for having the surgery done and would do it again in a minute. But there needs be thoughtful preparation in who you have do it and in the planning of your life afterwards. I think that's the second most important choice to make and unfortunately again, too many people don't put enough thought into their after surgery care. I know I wouldn't have lost as much as I have without my support group and the wonderful people who run our program. Okay, I'll get off my soap box - thanks for replying back and hopefully someone will read what we've said and be better off for reading it! Denise

Denise, I work in a hospital and have the past 15 years. In all types of speciality area's there are doctors who are incompetent. I have seen patients butchered and have been know to tell the you get a lawyer and sue. But in retrospect, it is your own responsibility to ask questions of these doctors and find out what they are all about. You only get on shot at this surgery and you want it done correctly and want a doctor you can depend on. my sister found one in Florida she was going to use until I found out he had only done 20 WLS! I said "OH HELL NO!"" but the average person does not ask a lot of questions. it is not the ston ages you have every right to investagate these doctors and anyone who does not is risking way to much. I always tell patients in the hospotal to go with the old hut feeling , if it does not feel right the it usually is not right. hopefully those *****ad all these post will realize the importance of checking out all medical professionals. BEst of luck to all. God Bless Joycelyn