Question:
Blood Clots?

Are blood clots more common w/ this surgery? There seems to be an emphasis on this...    — pamela1 (posted on October 23, 2002)

October 23, 2002
Blood clots are more common in obese people, that is why there seems to be more with this surgery. It is not the surgery...it is our size.
   — Vicki L.

October 23, 2002
I think I've become quite an expert on blood clots since I've recently been diagnosed with a DVT which is just a term for a big, nasty, dangerous clot. Being obese is one risk factor, but also the surgery itself is too. Abdominal surgery has one of the highest risk factors for clots when compared to other types of invasive surgeries.
   — JM B.

October 23, 2002
Body size, time on the table, time between surgery and getting moving and location of surgery (body location) all play factors in the risk of clots. Since this surgery is lenthy (compared to say..a c-section) and you often can't get up and walk immediately after surgery and we are all obese, yes, I would say that increases the risk in this type of surgery. But then being obese and sitting on the couch with your feet down for 4 or 5 hours solid can have an increased risk of clotting. So can eating a very fatty, sugar-laden diet. So many things can contribute to this condition. My grandfather and my mother both died from clots and my cousin nearly did. None of them were in surgery or even fresh from surgery. In fact none of them had ever had a surgery. Sometimes in life, we just roll the dice and pray. Good luck!
   — [Deactivated Member]