Question:
Those who had a lot of adhesions before wls, LOOK AT THIS!!!

I just read the answers for lap vs open, and someone posted that the complication rate is higher with the lap. I already know that I have numerous dense adhesions from previous fertility surgeries. Would it be safer to request an open procedure? A man posted on the message board this morning that his wife's surgery was complicated by the adhesions.    — sm S. (posted on January 27, 2003)


January 26, 2003
But isn't the hernia rate higher with an open? And I know the recovery time is a LOT longer with the open than the lap. I had previous abdominal surgeries, too, and had adhesions, some so severe they caused me a good deal of pain under my right rib cage, but my surgeon was still able to do the procedure lap and I have had no post op complications. I think you need to sit down and discuss with your surgeon which procedure is best for you.
   — Carolyn I.

January 26, 2003
If your surgeon is planning on doing your surgery lap and then finds adhesions that he can't get through, you'll be switched to open. As for the recovery time being a 'lot' longer, it depends. I had mine done lap and then had to have it redone 2 months later. The second time it had to be open. I didn't have much pain with either one, never had a pain pump for either and didn't need one. I was able to be up and walking the next day with both. My open incision did open back up a little, but I was put on a wound vac and that closed it up pretty quickly.
   — garw

January 27, 2003
I had a LOT of adhesions from 4 previous abdominal surgeries. I had a lap rny on 12/11/02, about 6 weeks ago. I was under for almost 5 hours, but it didn't hinder my recovery. I was back to work the next week. It all depends on the surgeon.
   — Diana L.

January 27, 2003
Hi, it depends on your body. I have a friend who because of other surgeries has been told she can NEVER have anything done lap. There was an attempt made once and there was just to much scar tissue.
   — CarmelCandy777

January 30, 2003
I think the fact that you may have had multiple surgeries and may have adhesions is not the issue. I think it's WHERE the adhesions are. Some may be able to be worked around and some may not. When my sister had her rny last July, I heard the surgeon talking to the woman who was waiting to go in after her. He said very clearly that she was to be aware that although they were attempting a Lap, due to her previous hysterectomy they would have to check it out, and if there were adhesions they might have to switch to an open. My sister found outb later on that they were able to do the lap, but you never know.
   — Fixnmyself

January 31, 2003
Hi, My wls took hours longer because of adhedsives and the dr had to give me a pint of blood. I even had a very bad time with the anestehesia maybe because of the hours spent cutting away the adhedsives.
   — Naes Wls J.

January 31, 2003
I went in for lap RNY. When my surgeon scoped me out, before doing the RNY part, she found serious adhesions near my bowel from a previous c-section surgery I had about 12 years ago. She said they were so bad that it was like someone had poured glue down there. She said I would have eventually had a bowel obstruction. Anyway, she had to convert my operation to open. The only other complication I had was after surgery, when my left lung partially collapsed. I had to stay an extra 4 days in the hospital on a heavy antibiotic iv.
   — Jennifer A.




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