Question:
Any plan for rny/lap and end up having rny/open?

If so why and what was your out come. My doctor reserves the right to open if needed. I am planning for Lap only but need to prepare for the worst just in case. Surgery 1/27/04    — Vitabella (posted on January 19, 2004)

January 19, 2004
Its a POSSIBLITY for every LAP espically higher BMIs. They are converted for our safety. You cn ask your surgeon what the odds are of ending up a open. MY wifes BMI was about 60 and her was 5% to 10%. Open isnt what you desire but you will stillm lose the weight:) thats what is reaklly important!
   — bob-haller

January 19, 2004
The more experienced surgeons can safely perform gastric bypass on even the super-morbidly obese; my BMI was over 61 and I was done laparoscopically. One of the critical issues is the flexiblity of the patient's liver as it must be flipped up by the surgeon to perform the operation; if it is rigid or very fatty (problems, particularly for patients who do not follow a very low-fat, no-alcohol regime in the weeks before surgery) and can not be safely flipped, the surgeon would then need to perform the operation "open". However, as I trust others will tell you, skilled and experienced surgeons can perform gastric bypass laparoscopically even on patients who have had multiple abdominal surgeries and who have extensive scar tissue. Good luck.
   — SteveColarossi

January 19, 2004
The thing is you won't even know that he did the open surgery until after you wake up. My doctor made it through 80% of my lap RNY before he had to open me up. He could not get a good view of the back side of my stomach to do the stapling he needed to do. He did not feel comfortable doing it blind so he opened me up. Yes there is a little more pain and a little longer healing time but, I would not have wanted him to continue the lap and have something go wrong. The decision to change mid-surgery will be strictly for your safety. Remember the outcome will be the same no matter how it ends up being done. Good luck!!! JIM
   — Jim S.

January 19, 2004
My surgery was done lap, during surgery I had a leak. They tried to fix it 4 times lap and couldn't so he opened me up. It was extremely painful afterwards but I'd do it again in a heartbeat! I was in surgery 6 1/2 hours and in hospital 5 days! But I'm down 85 lbs in 6 months so I'm pretty happy with it.
   — [Deactivated Member]

January 19, 2004
I too was supposed to have lap RNY, but due to an enlarged liver, which is very common in the obese, I ended up having open RNY. I had no problem with this. My recovery time was right on schedule. Try not to worry about this possibility. In my opinion, it was an ok thing, that way my surgeon was able to see, and feel what he was doing. Good luck =)
   — sara P.

January 20, 2004
I had open to do adheasions (sp) and was told proir to surgery that this would probably happen ..so with that I said just do the open to start with.. I have to say that one really needs to research they surgeon to make sure they have a GREAT pre op and POST op program in place and that you are made aware of it Prior to making your decision!
   — Kalli R.

January 20, 2004
Hello. I planned on having lap and went in expecting it but was converted to open. I was a lightweight starting at 245 so my surgeon didn't expect any problems going in. He said there was always a possibility of converting to open but I never thought about it. He is very experienced and has done lap. surgeries for 10 years. He has been a surgeon since 1979 and has done over 300 RNY surgeries with only 2 deaths. The reason I had to have open was because my stomach was higher than expected so he could not reach it with the lap instruments. I think it is great that you are looking into it pre-op. I wish I had.
   — AmyWollet

January 20, 2004
I was a potential for a Lap DS. The day of surgery it was getting late in the day. The surgeon came in and said that he thought he could do it lap. I looked at him and said "I want you to do what is safest for me" he looked at me for a few min and said then we will do this open. I have to say that the pain was not as bad as I thought it would be, although it did hurt, and in the long run, open is usually a faster surgery and so you are not under as long. Plus for me even though I have a scar the reality of it was I was 400 pounds and what is one scar in the grand scheme of things?? I wish you the best of luck!!
   — Kim M.