Question:
What is the percentage of patients who end up having a leak?

   — cheyenne16 (posted on January 26, 2002)

January 26, 2002
If you have the Duodenal Switch, you have a zero percent chance of having a leak.
   — merri B.

January 26, 2002
My surgeon told me that the chance of a leak following an RNY is about 1%. Don't know if that is the overall stat or his personal record.
   — Donna L.

January 26, 2002
Correction: My surgeon said in his experience it's LESS than 1% chance of a leak. Again, not sure if this is his personal stat or for all RNYs. I don't want to misrepresent what he told me.
   — Donna L.

January 26, 2002
Barb Thompson, a member here great WLS book says its around 1%. Serious but manegable. MY chance of dying WITHOUT surgery was HUGH, so it is well worth the risk.
   — bob-haller

January 27, 2002
I had a disruption and since I have talked about it openly on this site, I have received many many e mails from people who either have a disruption or think they have one. I don't know the actual statistics but in my humble opinion, if a person is not transected, and quits losing, there is a good possibility of a leak. The only way to know for sure is to have a look inside with upper GI or scope. I think most people don't actually have a leak but fear one. Would really like to have some good stats on this too! The main thing is if one has a disruption, it is fixable with another surgery. A revision is much much easier surgery than the original rny I had. Good luck to all! Minus 90 lbs and still losing since my revision!
   — Marilyn C.

January 27, 2002
I had a leak. I'm not yet 2 weeks out from Lap-rny. My leak was discovered during the leak test the day after my surgery. I required a second surgery. This is my doc's second leak, the first person that had one was taking steroids prior to surgery and neglected to tell him. The only thing we can figure with me is bad tissue, since during the second surgery everytime they would sew, I would have another leak. My predicted 20 minute surgery for repair, went to almost 5 hours. I'm doing better now, but every twinge I have I think it may be leak related. My doctor has me on full liquids for 6 weeks, Tuesday I will be able to cross over from clear liquids to full, boy am I looking forward to applesauce. Sometimes these things happen and there is nothing we can do to prevent them, except not have the surgery.
   — DebbieJ

January 27, 2002
The perecentage of leaks depends strictly on your surgeon. My surgeon has been doing bariatric surgery for years and has never had a leak. He is very careful to check while the patient is still in the OR, before he sews you up. Ask your doctor how many leaks he has had. This is a very important question.
   — DeeDubbs