Question:
Do you have to be a certain BMI to qualify for LapRNY

I read that this procedure is not done on certain persons because of their BMI being too high. Can anyone help me with this?    — Carol S. (posted on August 6, 2002)

August 6, 2002
Ahh your BMI is 80. My surgeon in pittsburgh does these LAP. Its primarily a matter of your suregens skill, experience, and the surgery room tools available. Extra long lap tools are VERY expensive. <P> My surgeon does folks like you in 2 stages, one the stomach reduction and later the bypass of intestines, its safer this way. A friend of mine had a start waist of 75 and a higher BMI than you. He is still loosing now down over 200 pounds!<P> You will need to search for a surgeon many will not want you as your a challenge. You will be at risk to wake up converted to open, its always a risk but the bigger you are the more it becomes a risk. Good luck you will be a success, wether its open or lap.
   — bob-haller

August 6, 2002
I am not sure about the RNY, but I do know that alot of people with high BMI's have the Duodenal Sitch. It has a much higher long term weight loss. I think stats show that with the higher BMI, the DS is has MUCH more effect. There are a couple of great site. www.duodenalswitch.com and www.mywls.com Also yahoo groups: duodenal switch The best of luck on what ever you choose. I had my DS almost 1 year ago I am -118 and I eat normal, no one can tell I even had an operation (other that the Weight loss ;0) I would do it over in a heart beat!!!!!!
   — Jody Diou

August 6, 2002
My BMI was 81.0 when I had my RNY performed laproscopically and all at one time. My surgeon's speciality is lap surgeries, so he was confident that it wouldn't be a problem. I had my surgery performed at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. This facility is quite used to performing surgeries on larger people. Long instruments are a factor--so is the weight limit for the OR table. Lap surgeries require a different table, basically one that can be turned around 180 to 360 degrees. In other words, since long incisions aren't made and internal organs moved around as is done with "Open" surgeries, the way that an RNY is performed Lap is that the table is moved all around...for example, the person is tilted so that the organs "fall forward" to get where the surgeon needs to be. At times, the person is upside down as well. My surgeon said that he had me completely upside down, both vertically and horizontally. There was only one final manuever that was difficult because of my size, and that, he said, was when I was turned completely around while the pouch was being made. So, he said that my pouch has a slightly odd shape as a result. The pain afterwards was minimal...especially compared with the "Open" gall bladder surgery that was performed back east in 1986. The only additional wounding for me was that I was black and blue on some spots on my arms and legs because of the tables holding me in place...but no big deal. = )
   — CaseyinLA

August 6, 2002
Carol, As you can see, there are doctors who will do lap at extremely high weights. My doc did lap on a man who had a BMI of 66. If the surgeon is skilled in the procedure, I don't see where the limit would fall. I love my itty bitty lap scars. Best wishes in your journey!
   — Tina B.

August 6, 2002
Hi Carol. All surgeons are different. My surgeon does not go by BMI, but by weight. He will not preform Lap over 350lbs. It's all a preference. Best of luck!
   — karmiausnic

August 6, 2002
I agree with Bob and Colleen's responses....everything depends on the expertise and experience of the laparascopic surgeon and his (or the hospital's) more specialized equipment. Our bariatric surgeon is one of the pioneers in the field, and specializes in laparascopic WLS. He evaluates each prospective on an individual basis, but has performed many lap surgeries on patients with extremely high BMIs and weighing plus/minus 600 lbs. My daughter's BMI was 70, and she had a totally uncomplicated lap RNY. She is almost at goal, after taking a small "break" to have her first baby :-) Best wishes to you!
   — Diana T.