Need a Revision Expert in KC or surrounding areas

Ok, just trying to get recommendations for WLS surgeons who have extensive experience with revisions. I can't seem to get any response from the office of one well known surgeon in the KC area. Another surgeon has little experience with Sleeves or Revisions. The other surgeon I know of in the KC area I'm not sure I trust due to his NON-STOP t.v. advertisements and infomercials that run every night in the middle of the night with the same people praising high glory to this surgeon's practice. That is a huge turn off for me because since I can't seem to find a way to verify the number of procedures they have done from an objective party, I don't know that I would trust what they did tell me even if it was what I wanted to hear.

This could be Lawrence, KS, Sedalia, MO, Columbia, MO or KC of course.

Suggestions/ Referrals appreciated.

There are none in your area that I am aware of. Your going to have to travel.

FormerlyFluffy

I am wanting to revise a VBG surgery from 1998 to a Sleeve.

Thank you.  I actually went to dsfacts.com earlier this afternoon on a similar suggestion and see a practice with 4 surgeons in Topeka which is an hour from me.  I will be calling them this week to find out their level of experience.

Thanks again.

St. Francis Health Center
1700 SW 7th St.
Topeka, KS 66606
Web Site: Turning Point
Contact: Brenda Holliday, Bariatric Coordinator
Phone: 785-228-4773
Email: [email protected]

Many points well taken.  I was shocked that I already got a response back to my initial questions from their office today.  She gave me a very detailed breakdown to my questions, but you reminded me that I need to ask about their complication and success stats as well.

It's so hard to weed through things to REALLY know who / what you are dealing with, which is also why I am not rushing into this.  

Thank you again.

Ok so apparantly there are some local that do DS but doing a DS and doing a REVISION to DS are 2 completely different things!

Please research completely!

I am posting an email thread from a conversation from the nurse that responded to my initial question.  I emailed her back to ask about questions on complications and such and she said she didn't have access to that information, but strongly suggested discussing that with the surgeon(s) at a consult.  She said the casualties was <1% and not related to the surgery itself.  I'm a bit concerned that there isn't more experience with revisions, but she has she been very quick to respond and I feel forthcoming, unlike another office who has yet to respond to my questions on these very things.

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I had a VBG WLS in 1998 in Kansas City by a Dr. Timothy Sifers (passed away in 2005).  I have been looking into doing a revision surgery lately and am researching surgeons.  I have read through your website and understand that a visit to your seminar is required before a consult will be scheduled with a surgeon, but before I make the 1 1/2 hour trip to Topeka for a seminar I was hoping you could provide me with some additional information not on your website.  We would also need you to obtain a copy of your surgical operative notes from the hospital for the surgeons to review so they can verify the exact procedure that was done, as we have found sometimes what patients were told they had are not actually the procedure that was performed.    

Without combining the results of your 4 surgeons, taking your most experienced surgeon at the practice, could you tell me the following information?  During our bariatric surgeries you will always have 2 surgeons in your operating room, so I have included numbers for my two surgeons that have been doing the surgeries the longest, although keep in mind our surgeons always assist each other.    

1.  How many procedures he/she has done?  Dr. Berntsen (female) has done 392 laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses, 8 open Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses, 50 laparoscopic BPD/DS, 5 open BPD/DS, 253 laparoscopic gastric bands, 10 gastric sleeves, and 1 open gastric sleeves.    Dr. Dunshee (male) has done 252 laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses, 2 open Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses, 12 laparoscopic BPD/DS, 3 open BPD/DS, 228 laparoscopic gastric bands, and 7 laparoscopic gastric sleeves. 

 

2.  What type of revisions have they done and how many of each?  For example, LB to GB or LB to Sleeve, etc.   I have two surgeons who do revisional surgeries, both Dr. Bernita Berntsen and Dr. Carlyle Dunshee II therefore they assist each other on any revision.  When we ran the report of the numbers it just gives me what the surgery was revised to and not what the patient had initially.  Dr. Berntsen has done a total of 4 revisions to a LapBand, 7 revisions to an open gastric bypass, 11 revisions to a laparoscopic BPD/DS, 2 revisions to an open BPD/DS and 1 revision to a laparoscopic gastric sleeve.  Dr. Dunshee has 5 revisions to a LapBand, 12 revisions to a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, 2 revisions to an open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, 2 revisions to laparoscopic BPD/DS, 1 revision to an open BPD/DS and 1 revision to revision to an open gastric sleeve.