Question:
What should pre-ops know about selecting a surgeon?

Many of us aren't offered a choice in bariatric surgeons. For those of us who had a choice, or took action in order to have a choice, what wisdom can you share with others? How heavily did which factors weigh in your selection? Which things would you have emphasized differently in your selection process, if you had the chance to do it over again?    — ericklein (posted on October 14, 2000)

October 14, 2000
Having gone out of network to get the surgery, I made my choice based on reputation, expertise and the reviews of other patients on this site. I am very happy to say that the research paid off and I'm doing very well.
   — Allie B.

October 14, 2000
This is an excellent question. The first thing I did was research the different times of surgery and decide what was BEST FOR ME. My best choice was the RNY and I was comfortable with the idea of and open as opposed to a lap procedure. I did a review of surgeons in my approximate geographic area and came up with several possibilities. I eliminated one who had an excellent reputation because he does only the VBG. I eliminated another because he has no follow-up care - he just does the cutting. Then I began reviewing BTC in Belvidere. They did the type of surgery i wanted. Their doctors got good responses from the folks here. The complications that people reported seemed to be reasonable for the type of surgery and seemed to be rare. They had an entire program developed to assist with the life transitions involved in the surgery. When I had my initial consultation I was favorably impressed with the general atmosphere and the openness of the staff. I learned that the stomach is transected and the staple lines are over-stitched to avoid staple line problems which, based on my research, were good points to the surgical technique. Also, the fact that BTC focuses strictly on the RNY and has a well-developed practice working with the surgical risks of morbidly obese patients was very reassuring. When I was denied because of the exclusion, I went to my health benefits manager at my employer (we are self-insured) and worked not only to be approved "off-contract" but also to be approved to have my surgery at BTC.
   — Nanette T.

October 14, 2000
Eric, these are good questions, but will probably raise some sensitivities since we are all pretty "protective" on this site about our own individual procedures and surgeons. Remembering that many of us are left completely without choice in this matter, I will say again that it is not so much how we travel the journey, the most important thing is that we arrive. For those folks who have or can obtain the financial resources and travel flexibility to make choices in this area, I would agree with Allie that reputation and expertise are primary considerations...I certainly would not be shy in inquiring how many procedures a surgeon has done and what his personal mortality rates have been. As an RN, and after considerable research, I had no doubts about my choice of procedure and surgeon, and I was committed to having both at any cost (financial or distance). That is an option that clearly is not available to everyone. If not, then I think that you owe it to yourself to do extensive research and not "settle" for the first opportunity. It's worth taking a little extra time in this process to assure yourself that you're in the safest situation and the most skilled hands possible. Laparascopic proximal RNY with a transected stomach met my very individualized criteria for a great number of reasons and I just kept looking until I found exactly what I wanted. The end results make all the extra time and effort worthwhile!
   — Diana T.

October 21, 2000
Knowing what I know now, about which I knew absolutely nothing in 1993 when I started processing for my prcedure, which was done 10/94, these are the questions I would ask today. Since my focus is post-op nutrition and I see the result of poor, wrong or no supplementation, the answers to those questions would be critical to me now. But I didn't know it then. Since I had the joy of a staple line disruption, I'd know to make that a priority as well, as many here have already done. And try to meet at least 3 pateints who are 3 or more years out from this doc with the same procedure he is offering you. 1. how much common channel will I have? 2. how many supplements should I take? If they say none, ask if you CAN take them 3. do you separate the lower stomach away? do you remove it? 4. how big is the pouch? 5. what about milk? 6. what about sugar? 7. what about fats? 8. how often do I need labs? 9. of my excess weight, what percentage will I lose? 10. ", what percentage will I keep off? 11. is this a mental or mechanical problem? 12. How common are ulcers around the stoma? 13. If I am still nauseated or vomiting after 3 weeks, what will you do for me?
   — vitalady