Reducing risk of complications.......

Reducing risk of complications <p> Rest assured that the surgeons and hospital staff do everything we can from our end to reduce the occurrence of complications. We stay abreast of the medical literature and they pay attention to what goes on with our patients so (unfortunately) they've either seen or read about the vast majority of potential problems. They use prophylactic measures (such as antibiotics or anticoagulation therapy) where they benefit the patient, and remain vigilant for the remainder. Patients also frequently ask what they can do to reduce their risk, and there actually are a few important answers. <p> No smoking - smoking has a truly significant influence on your outcome, including the chance of dying around the time of surgery. Obviously it's best if the patient has never smoked; however if a patient does smoke we insist that they abstain from all tobacco products for at least one month prior to surgery. Following surgery it's best if the patient never resumes smoking, but that is not a primary issue between the surgeon and the patient. <p> Get out of bed - after tobacco freedom, the most important influence a patient has on outcome is to get moving around the ward as soon as (and as much as) possible following the surgery. The surgeons will do their best to control the surgical pain, the nursing staff will assist, and we aim for the patient to be walking out in the hallway on the afternoon of surgery. The main important benefit of this plan is to restore normal circulation in the veins of the legs, but it also helps lung function, maybe gut function, and overall attitude. <p> Mental preparation - try to approach the surgery as the beginning of a whole new phase in life. The Gastric Bypass procedure is a watershed event in life; if the patient approaches it with thorough education and with determination to make the best of the opportunity, the chances of success are high. If the patient slides into the operation and aims for it to have minimal impact on his life then the prospects are not as good. One concrete thing that a prospective patient can do along these lines is actually practice the gastric bypass diet. This will give the patient a practical idea of what she is getting into, with the side benefit of some weight loss. Also, there is some "soft" data that suggest that risks are lower for patients who come into a gastric bypass having lost 5-10 pounds, versus those who have eaten many "last meals" in preparation for the surgery. Another practical suggestion for mental prep is to attend a monthly gastric bypass support group - much can be learned from other patients that the surgeons and staff cannot teach. <p> Comparison of these risks to no surgery <p> Taken as a group, patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery do better than equally heavy people who work hard on nonsurgical means of weight loss. Because surgical weight loss tends to be successful and nonsurgical weight loss tends not to be, the risks of the gastric bypass are outweighed by the benefits obtained in terms of improvement/resolution of the many medical problems for patients considered as a group. This has been statistically demonstrated to be true. This fact is the reason that we have and will continue to offer this surgery. <p> Another excellent source of information on the risks of surgery is on the website for the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. <p> www.asbs.com <p> open Proximal RNY 12/8/99 Down 83 pounds forever.. http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/vbowen/index.html

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