Unexpected Complication from Vertical Sleeve Plication
Hello!
Firstly, I realize this is the VSG forum. Since the VSG is one of the closer relatives of the plication procedure, I've seen a lot of folks looking for information on the plication procedure on this forum. So, VSGers, thanks for having us! That being said, I wanted to share my story about an unexpected complication I had from my plication surgery. I had my surgery in July 2010 with Dr. Corvala in Tijuana and he'd never heard of what happened to me. I'm pasting below an email response I wrote to my patient experience manager from Angeles Health (the agency that booked my plication procedure) when she emailed me to ask me what had happened and how I was doing.
"On December 21 I went to my local emergency room (Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City, MO) with abdominal pain, pain in my left shoulder when I breathed in, and dry heaving. They did an xray and ct scan and found what they referred to as free air in my abdominal cavity. They also found that the contrast fluid I drank for the procedure was leaking from my stomach into my abdominal cavity. At that time the attending physician told me I was being transported to the University Hospital in Columbia.
I was transported by ambulance to the University of Missouri Hospital. I was met there by a surgical team from the bariatrics department. I explained the procedure I had received from Dr. Corvala. The surgeons told me that I needed surgery immediately to repair a perforation in my stomach that was allowing air and fluids to pass into my abdominal cavity.
After I woke up from the surgery I was told that the perforation occurred because part of my stomach was not receiving adequate blood flow and perforated as a result. The surgeons explained that, in order to attempt to prevent future occurrence, the surgeons had loosened plication stitching. The surgeons put a tissue patch over the hole to prevent leakage and to allow the hole to heal. They told me and my family that the portion of the stomach where the hole had formed was white in color from being cut off from adequate blood flow for so long and that they had almost decided to resect that part of the stomach rather than repair it. They told me and my family that, in their opinion, it's very possible this will happen to me again in the future because of the damage to my stomach and other areas that hadn't been receiving proper blood flow.
I was in the hospital from 12/21-12/26, spending my Christmas there. It took 4 days to rehydrate my body, because the hole that had formed in my stomach had let all the fluids I drank into my abdominal cavity. I had a tube coming out of my left side abdomen to drain the fluids for the duration of my stay. I had a tube coming up from my stomach and out of my nose to drain any fluids from my stomach for the first 3 days I was there. It was a horrific and traumatic experience for me and my family.
At my follow-up appointment on January 7th I spoke with one of the bariatric surgeons at the University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia, MO about what happened. He explained to me that, due to a technical error that occurred during my plication surgery, the plication stitching had not allowed portions of my stomach to get adequate blood flow. This caused a part of the stomach to start dying and a hole formed. Also on Jan 7 I had another xray with contrast to see if there was any further leakage. The results of this test show no further leakage but that my stomach is very swollen at this time.
I am continuing to be monitored through Missouri Bariatric Services, a University of Missouri Hospital Clinic.
I believe this to be a dire complication. I was told when I came to the ER that, due to the severity of my condition I was about 24 hours from sepsis and death. It is very important that Dr. Corvala, his team, and potential patients know about this possibility. This was not mentioned to me as a possible complication of the plication surgery. In fact, I had asked about the possibility that that folding and stitching could harm the stomach and had also asked about cutting off blood flow to the folded portion of the stomach. I was told plication procedure was done in such a way as to retain the health of the stomach and that blood continues to flow regularly to the folded part of the stomach. I was also told that the plication procedure was much safer because there was no risk of leaks because no portion of the stomach is cut away and there is no staple line. Potential patients thinking of getting the plication procedure should know the possibilities."
It should be noted that I asked my surgeons here in Missouri if there was anything I did that could have caused this complication. They have informed me that this complication was not at all my fault, but due to an error committed by the surgeon (Dr. Corvala) during my plication surgery. If you decide you're interested in the plication procedure and go through Dr. Corvala I would suggest you ask him about my case.
To be perfectly honest, I'm happy with the results of my surgery. My restriction is great, my weight loss has been what I expected, about 80 pounds from July 2010 to the present. However, as noted above, I almost lost my life. I wanted to share my story because when the surgery was described to me it was being advertised as a safer alternative to other surgeries and that the risk for complication was very low. As noted above, I even asked Dr. Corvala about blood flow to the stomach with the plication surgery and was told that the blood flow would be retained and the stomach tissue would remain healthy. For me, this was not the case. Please feel free to ask questions.
-Alexa Thompson
Firstly, I realize this is the VSG forum. Since the VSG is one of the closer relatives of the plication procedure, I've seen a lot of folks looking for information on the plication procedure on this forum. So, VSGers, thanks for having us! That being said, I wanted to share my story about an unexpected complication I had from my plication surgery. I had my surgery in July 2010 with Dr. Corvala in Tijuana and he'd never heard of what happened to me. I'm pasting below an email response I wrote to my patient experience manager from Angeles Health (the agency that booked my plication procedure) when she emailed me to ask me what had happened and how I was doing.
"On December 21 I went to my local emergency room (Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City, MO) with abdominal pain, pain in my left shoulder when I breathed in, and dry heaving. They did an xray and ct scan and found what they referred to as free air in my abdominal cavity. They also found that the contrast fluid I drank for the procedure was leaking from my stomach into my abdominal cavity. At that time the attending physician told me I was being transported to the University Hospital in Columbia.
I was transported by ambulance to the University of Missouri Hospital. I was met there by a surgical team from the bariatrics department. I explained the procedure I had received from Dr. Corvala. The surgeons told me that I needed surgery immediately to repair a perforation in my stomach that was allowing air and fluids to pass into my abdominal cavity.
After I woke up from the surgery I was told that the perforation occurred because part of my stomach was not receiving adequate blood flow and perforated as a result. The surgeons explained that, in order to attempt to prevent future occurrence, the surgeons had loosened plication stitching. The surgeons put a tissue patch over the hole to prevent leakage and to allow the hole to heal. They told me and my family that the portion of the stomach where the hole had formed was white in color from being cut off from adequate blood flow for so long and that they had almost decided to resect that part of the stomach rather than repair it. They told me and my family that, in their opinion, it's very possible this will happen to me again in the future because of the damage to my stomach and other areas that hadn't been receiving proper blood flow.
I was in the hospital from 12/21-12/26, spending my Christmas there. It took 4 days to rehydrate my body, because the hole that had formed in my stomach had let all the fluids I drank into my abdominal cavity. I had a tube coming out of my left side abdomen to drain the fluids for the duration of my stay. I had a tube coming up from my stomach and out of my nose to drain any fluids from my stomach for the first 3 days I was there. It was a horrific and traumatic experience for me and my family.
At my follow-up appointment on January 7th I spoke with one of the bariatric surgeons at the University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia, MO about what happened. He explained to me that, due to a technical error that occurred during my plication surgery, the plication stitching had not allowed portions of my stomach to get adequate blood flow. This caused a part of the stomach to start dying and a hole formed. Also on Jan 7 I had another xray with contrast to see if there was any further leakage. The results of this test show no further leakage but that my stomach is very swollen at this time.
I am continuing to be monitored through Missouri Bariatric Services, a University of Missouri Hospital Clinic.
I believe this to be a dire complication. I was told when I came to the ER that, due to the severity of my condition I was about 24 hours from sepsis and death. It is very important that Dr. Corvala, his team, and potential patients know about this possibility. This was not mentioned to me as a possible complication of the plication surgery. In fact, I had asked about the possibility that that folding and stitching could harm the stomach and had also asked about cutting off blood flow to the folded portion of the stomach. I was told plication procedure was done in such a way as to retain the health of the stomach and that blood continues to flow regularly to the folded part of the stomach. I was also told that the plication procedure was much safer because there was no risk of leaks because no portion of the stomach is cut away and there is no staple line. Potential patients thinking of getting the plication procedure should know the possibilities."
It should be noted that I asked my surgeons here in Missouri if there was anything I did that could have caused this complication. They have informed me that this complication was not at all my fault, but due to an error committed by the surgeon (Dr. Corvala) during my plication surgery. If you decide you're interested in the plication procedure and go through Dr. Corvala I would suggest you ask him about my case.
To be perfectly honest, I'm happy with the results of my surgery. My restriction is great, my weight loss has been what I expected, about 80 pounds from July 2010 to the present. However, as noted above, I almost lost my life. I wanted to share my story because when the surgery was described to me it was being advertised as a safer alternative to other surgeries and that the risk for complication was very low. As noted above, I even asked Dr. Corvala about blood flow to the stomach with the plication surgery and was told that the blood flow would be retained and the stomach tissue would remain healthy. For me, this was not the case. Please feel free to ask questions.
-Alexa Thompson
Mz Alexa, I am so sorry for the situation, but am so thankful your doctors were helpful and you are doing well, and seem to be an excellent spirits even after having such a scary ordeal!
I would also really like to thank you for coming and sharing, you are right it is the vsg board, but since there is not a plication board (that I know of? I think there just is not one yet) folks come here and ask and ask on the main board, and any information we can bookmark or share, or someone who has been there that we can refer them to is excellent!
Keep on taking care of you!! I am so thankful you are doing well!!
Thank you again for sharing!
I would also really like to thank you for coming and sharing, you are right it is the vsg board, but since there is not a plication board (that I know of? I think there just is not one yet) folks come here and ask and ask on the main board, and any information we can bookmark or share, or someone who has been there that we can refer them to is excellent!
Keep on taking care of you!! I am so thankful you are doing well!!
Thank you again for sharing!
What is the difference between the plication and the VSG? I haven't ever hear of the plication surgery. I am glad that you are doing ok right now and hope you don't have anymore issues! And you are absolutely correct. This sugery, well the VSG, was told to me that it was a safer surgery. I am post op right now from having the VSG surgery on this past Friday. Hopefully I wll get out of the hospital tomorrow. I would love to be more informed if you could elaborate more!
In VSG they cut and remove 85% of your stomach or more. With plication they just take the part they remove in VSG and roll it up and stitch it in place. Its still there but food can't get into it. Its considered experimental and not covered by insurance so you won't see to much about it from most US doctors.
Lynn C ~
Banded 9/12/2005 ~ Revision to VSG on 9/7/2010 ~ Losing again with a Keto lifestyle
Thank you for sharing. It is always good to educate ourselves on the possibility of complications. I am sure Dr. Corvala believed what he told you. Perhaps this has never happened to any of his patience before? At the end of the day, doctors are just people with more education about certain topics. They too need to be educated on what can happen.
Sharing as you have done is the gift that keeps on giving. Others will have more knowledge to make an informed decision.
I am happy you are doing well. Hopefully, you will never have any more complications.
Take care of yourself.
Sharing as you have done is the gift that keeps on giving. Others will have more knowledge to make an informed decision.
I am happy you are doing well. Hopefully, you will never have any more complications.
Take care of yourself.
I can't imagine how scary that must have been. Thank you so much for coming forward and sharing your experience. I know people choose plication because they think it's less risky than VSG, so it's important that they know there can be complications that their doctors are not reporting.
I hope you heal up perfectly and don't have any future problems. (((hugs)))
p.s. And congrats on your weight loss =)
I hope you heal up perfectly and don't have any future problems. (((hugs)))
p.s. And congrats on your weight loss =)
5'8" - 40 years old
Hello Zanthina,
Thank you for your informative post. I think what you have had to suffer is horrible, and hopefully you will continue onto an uneventful and full recovery. I, too, have never heard of plication, I had my VSG last summer without complications. I agree with you that your complication was a dire one as it was life-threatening. It sounds as though you are receiving the appropriate medical care to deal with all the ramifications. I want to applaud your courage and strength!
Thank you for your informative post. I think what you have had to suffer is horrible, and hopefully you will continue onto an uneventful and full recovery. I, too, have never heard of plication, I had my VSG last summer without complications. I agree with you that your complication was a dire one as it was life-threatening. It sounds as though you are receiving the appropriate medical care to deal with all the ramifications. I want to applaud your courage and strength!
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