Question:
Have you or has anyone you know had leakage after surgery?

If so, please share your experience for the benefit of people researching the risks of bariatric surgery.    — ericklein (posted on February 5, 2000)

February 5, 2000
What leaks (acid? blood? bile?)? from where? what are the consequences?
   — Toni B.

February 5, 2000
Yes, I experienced a leak which required a 2nd surgery about a week post-op. I developed peritonitis but it resolved after repair. I also had/have a spleen hematoma which is still not gone but we are working on it. Other than a long hospital stay of 22 days and still dealing with the spleen thing ... I am not sure of long term complications. For my sake I hope there are not any :)
   — Tena B.

February 7, 2000
I had ileojejunal leak after surgery. I required four units of blood before they could do the surgery to correct the problem. The emergency surgery was done five days after the eaerlier surgery. I spent a long time in ICU and on regular unit. Then I was in a subacute skilled nursing facility for approximatelly 10 days. I also developed pneumonia and atelectasis from the second surgery. It was quite an experience, but I would still have the surgery again even knowing what I was in for.
   — Elizabeth H.

May 25, 2000
when consulting with my surgeon he adressed the issue of leakage at the join of intestine to stomach pouch. he said what he does to avoid this is to have the anestisiologist run a tube into the stomach and shoot a blue dye through to check for leaks and repair them on the spot. he says this almost eliminates the risk of leakage.
   — shannon P.

August 22, 2000
My husband leaked at the stoma (connection of intestine to pouch in RNY), but showed no signs until Day 4. He had to be reopened on Day 5. He spent an extra 8 days in the hospital, but recovered completely normally. He lost 100% of his weight and has held steady for 5 yrs now. He would do it again, but I'll say it took a LITTLE while for him to say that!
   — vitalady

January 18, 2001
I had my WLS (open RNY) on 10/20/00. The day before Thanksgiving, I began to notice a feeling I came to call the "acid ickies", burning reflux and lots of uncomfortable gas (that belching did not aleviate). After this went on for about five days, I contacted my surgeon. He brought me in for an upper GI series, and it was revealed that I had a small (less than 3 mm) fistula (hole) between my proximal pouch and the Roux (distal) limb. When I was recumbent, some of the contrast medium leaked into the distal limb. I was given drugs (Zantac and Prilosec) to neutralize the acid reflux, and was told that the fistula *should* close on its own within a couple of months. This didn't happen, and I was given a second upper GI series on January 11 in response to my pleas that the acid reflux was getting far, far worse. The second upper GI revealed that the fistula had enlarged to 4 mm, and I have been scheduled to return for a laparascopic procedure to close this fistula. I'm currently scheduled for surgery on 2/19/01. I've been told that the stapling mechanism's failure to fire was most likely the cause of the fistula. I was the first is more than 400 cases over two years he had to ever develop one. I was quite fortunate that the leakage was going into the distal limb of the bypass, rather than leaking into my body cavity, however, I will be greatly relieved when I can stop taking the currently high dosages of Prilosec and Ranitidine (80 mg and 300 mg daily, respectively) and get back to a normal "drug free" existance. Laurie Manning, female, age 41 Open Roux-en-Y 10/20/00 Top Weight and BMI prior to surgery: 392.5/65.4 Weight and BMI as of 1/18/01: 289/48.3 Pensacola, FL/Dr. J. David Nye at Baptist Hospital
   — Laurie M.

March 28, 2001
I had my surgery LAP RNY on 1/23/01, my leak was detected 2/1/01.Anyway.my leak was discovered just as I was starting back onto soft proteins when it was noticed that the food was going into my drain. My doctor indicated I was lucky that I still had in my drain as it would minimize the risk of infection. It has always been difficult to get my doctor to commit to specifics.Basically it would be a week by week process of upper GIs and doctor visits.Oh yes only liquids, broth, Jell-O, protein drinks, etc. My doctor lets me have yogurt and also Optifast that I had left over from a year ago. Finally talked my doctor into grape juice tests in lieu of the upper GIs. Well I still have my leak, so I'm looking at 9 weeks. My last upper GI was March 19th, my next is April 2nd. Please share your experience with me. Melanie Clark [email protected]
   — Melanie C.