Question:
how much experience?

should a surgeon have as far as years? i have a consult , but when i checked her out she only has about 6 years expierence doing surgery should i look for a new surgeon?    — Dia C. (posted on August 2, 2002)

August 2, 2002
6 years is pretty good if we knew who your surgeon is you can get more feedback on their care.
   — bob-haller

August 2, 2002
I think it depends on how many actual wls he has done, vs how many years. If he does 3 a year or 3 a week for 6 years of course it makes a difference. I also ask point blank how many people he lost from wls.
   — ZZ S.

August 3, 2002
My surgeons have only been doing bariatric surgery since October of 2000... less than 2 years. However, they are both the only general surgeons in the town where I live and have been doing other surgeries for quite a while. I was #176 for them in July and wouldn't change a thing. Try to find out your surgeon's death and leak rates. I knew that my surgeons hadn't lost anyone, and only had 2 leaks that didn't require surgery to fix. That seems like a pretty good record. My advice is to just do your research.
   — Tanya B.

August 3, 2002
Dia, a better question to ask if how many WLS surgeries has the surgeon performed and how many complications from those surgeries? My surgeons, a husband and wife team were lap experts, who had both graduated from the best medical schools but only had 4 years of lap surgeries under their belt and only 1 of those years was WLS. However, they were vry experienced with lap (and that is what I was looking for), had had no complications to date, and I felt an instant rapoire with them during consultations, which remains to this day-6 months post-op.
   — Cindy R.

August 3, 2002
her name is dr.bellin,on this site i only see 2 people who have used her but she is part of dr.kirkland's office and he has done lots of people on this site,i only seen on here 1 person who his post op but she has'nt posted since her surgery and neither has her angel.
   — Dia C.