Question:
Which way does your incision go?

I am having an open RNY on 8/25...I have learned that my Dr. is now making the incision more twords the side ....instead of like up and down between the belly button and breast....I havent had a chance to talk to him as of yet to find out why he does this....Do any of you have your incision to the side?...if so....why do they do it that way?....is the healing time a little faster?....any input on this would be great! :o)    — Lisa F. (posted on July 6, 2003)

July 6, 2003
Hi, my incision is about 9 inches long, due to the need to remove adhesions from a prior surgery. But, it is vertical right down the middle from below the breast bone to the area of the navel. I had the navel removed years ago, so I think it is just about in that area.
   — ChristineB

July 6, 2003
My surgeon does the open RNY only and this information comes directly from the brochure I got from his office. It states,I use an angled incision beneath the left rib cage (called a "left subcostal incision"), as opposed to an up and down incision in the middle (called an "upper midline incision"). The left subcostal incision is less painful and results in fewer hernias. I have not had my surgery yet, so I have no personal knowledge to compare the level of pain between the two. This is just the way my Doc does it.
   — bloom

July 6, 2003
My incision goes from breastbone to belly button, but it is on a slight angle. It starts more to the left and ends just to the right of my belly button. At first I thought he made a boo boo and cut me crooked, but now after reading this, I can see why the slight angle.
   — Heather M.

July 6, 2003
Heather -- I , too, thought my doc just couldn't cut a straight line; my insicion is at a slight angle toward the left of my belly button. How funny! I'm glad to read there may have been a reason for this.
   — [Deactivated Member]

July 6, 2003
Well hmm! How interesting! Once I find a mirror I can actually see all of me in, I'll have to look and see if mine's straight or slanted! I can't just bend over and look - the boobs are in the way. lol
   — Dragon G.