Question:
Dr. Said I have Staple line Disruption

Im 5 weeks out and yesterday I had the Endoscope to open up my hole. Dr said I have a minor Disruption in staple line. Im am very upset. Dr said not to worry im loseing weight just fine 45 lbs in 5 weeks. Dr said she has seen this minor Disruption many times and People have never had to do anything about it. Can anyone help with this that has a minor disruption.    — matt C. (posted on May 30, 2002)

May 30, 2002
Being that you are only 5 wks out, maybe the doc feels this could close up? I am not sure but can just relate it to my experience. I had a SLD at 6 mos but I was not transected. Are you transected? Mine would have not closed up on it's own since the staples were coming out and the old stomach was taking over again! I had to have a revision to a transected pouch and now all is well. It is important to know if you are transected (cut apart from the old stomach) because if you are then I have read of the "leak" closing up again. But if your pouch is still attached to the old stomach, then it may continue to come undone. My doc told me I could just let it go if I wanted to and might still be able to lose but I wanted it fixed asap! I wanted a permanent tiny pouch and to lose all my weight and not regain. Since you are still losing, maybe the doc wants to treat this conservatively and watch what happens. Hope you are feeling good. I was terribly dismayed when I learned about the disruption, but it is totally fixable and a lot easier than the original surgery. I didn't regain any weight but I didn't fill up easily and didn't lose any more after my initial 68 lbs. Now, I have lost an additional 50 lbs. And feel wonderful! Good luck and let us know what you decide.
   — Marilyn C.

May 30, 2002
Mine was "minor" at first. But then it changed. It sort of just unzipes, once it starts. No matter to me, as even minor, I wanted it fixed, and fast. If my staple line was not intact, neither would be my surgery, nor my weight loss. And I couldn't live with that fear hanging over my head. Of course, in my case, it was sort of moot, because once the acid was released from the lower stomach, I was in too much pain to dink around with it.
   — vitalady