Question:
To determine death rate of Dr.

There was a question about Dr. death rates a couple of days ago. Just wanted to make others aware that the Dr. my sister used considers the death non-surgically related after the patient leaves the hospital. So even though she died 58 days later due to complications she had left the hospital so was not a statistic of surgery according to her Dr. Just be careful. I chose the Lapband (my dr. also does the ryn). I asked and he hasn't lost anyone and keeps track for at least 2 years. I have been very happy with the band and have lost 60lbs in 6 months. Mary    — mary K. (posted on May 30, 2004)

May 30, 2004
The only patient my surgeon has lost was 1 month PO but he tells people that up front. She was losing weight but was a total couch potato and blew a clot to her lung and died. He feels he did learn something from that horrible situation as he now makes sure that the person is up and very mobile before going home or he sends them home on blood thinners. In my opinion any doctor with integrity will include anyone that died and let you know the circumstances. If they are afraid to admit they made a mistake then I would not want that surgeon. While that lady was 1 month PO my surgeon feels he did not assess her situation right and therefore she was left vulnerable to blood clots.
   — zoedogcbr

June 2, 2004
This is a very complicated topic. Surgeons worry that they will be responsible for someone's death and don't want to be "branded" with a death. Alternately, people with very high bmi's are frought with a very high death rates. One has to do their homework. If you have a very high bmi and are willing to take the risks, then you need to be well informed. On the other hand, if there are known risks with preventable complications with therapy, such as anticoagulation that could have been started, that is another situation. This becomes so complicated. As a nurse there is a fine line between being well informed and what a good surgeon should do to protect his patients. I'm sorry to say there are very many irresponsible doctors just trying to earn a buck out there off the desperately obese. Buyer beware is the old saying. It holds true here also.
   — [Deactivated Member]