Question:
Is is my personal bias, Lap vs open complications?

Is is my bias that I think there are more serious "surgical mistakes" with Lap. i.e. Nick this nick that, leak this leak that, twisted this twisted that. I notice that the open seem to have hernias(which may be a good thing since it helps to get a tt approved} and wound infections. But the LAP see to have more life threatening complications.    — faybay (posted on June 29, 2002)

June 29, 2002
I had lap roux-en-y with Dr. Champion in Atlanta (www.drchampion.com). Do your research on Dr. Champion... you will find nothing but positives. He is the best of the best. I was back to work in less than 2 weeks... you won't get that with open.
   — juliehedges

June 29, 2002
I am with Julie...I had mine done Lap and was out of the hospital within 24 hours and after the fourth day home was up to walking about 1 mile on the treadmill. My Dr. will only perform Laps (unless complications occur) and has become so effecient that he only takes about 55 minutes to complete the surgery. If you get a Dr. that is that "good" I don't know why anyone would want to have the open procedure. (just my experience) Rhonda
   — rhonda R.

June 29, 2002
I also had lap, and was more concerned with the longer scar and longer period of recovery with open, which included the hernias. When choosing lap, its important to choose surgeons that are highly skilled at lap surgery. I had heard the excuse that with open the surgeon can eyeball what he is doing whereas with lap you look through instruments. Well, my surgeon said that those instruments magnify and put it up on a tv screen so the view is actually better.
   — Cindy R.

June 29, 2002
Yes, Fay, your research seems to be correct. I've been saying the exact same thing now and seem to find there are those that are resistant to that obvious fact. I had open surgery (didn't have much of a lap option) and am thankful that I did. Sure I would prefer a smaller scar but am so glad that I am complication-free. Laps do seem to have the more life-threatening complications (check those members still hospitatlized for SERIOUS complications). I would much rather have a higher risk of hernia (which I did not develop and am 18 months post op) than the risk of a leak or a nick. (BTW- the 30% number often quoted for the hernia risk is way too high! Please remember it was given by a lap surgeon trying to "sell" his surgery). But you are right in your observations. I've clicked on a patient's profile when they are having serious complications and almost invariably it was a lap procedure. My unscientific research... Shelley
   — Shelley.

June 29, 2002
I loved my LAP!!! And Cindy is correct in that the surgeon can see much better due to the magnification upon the screen. Many docs don't do lap because they are not trained to do so. If you choose lap, have one that is a specialist in the procedure. Too many docs are 'practicing lap surgeons' and have unfortunate incidences. I felt very comfortable and confident in my surgeons abilities as he was the first to perform the procedure in the state of VA and travels all over the world training other surgeons in the same. He has been doing the lap for other procedures for years before doing the Roux-en-y. If you have a reputable surgeon, I recommend having the lap, otherwise go with the open. And my pain at its worst was like I had done too many sit-ups. Pain meds were not necessary for me. I loved my lap!!
   — Cheri M.

June 30, 2002
Starting weight 275. 5'5" tall. Open RNY on 12/28/01. Currently 180 pounds. No surgical complications. Returned to work 13 days after surgery. 3 1/2" scar. All of the nonsense about HUGE scars and lengthy recoveries applies to some patients of open RNY. It does NOT apply to ALL of us, thank you very much.
   — Pam S.

June 30, 2002
I completely agree with everything in Cheri's post. Expertise and experience in the field of laparascopic surgery are EVERYTHING! If our family had not had access to one of the leading lap surgeons in the nation, I certainly would not have hesitated to have had an "open" surgery. In the right hands, average operating time is approximately one hour for a standard, uncomplicated lap RNY....operative and post-operative complications are generally much less, especially with regard to wound infections and hernia formation....visualization of the operative field wtih laparascopy is FAR superior to that of the naked eye...post-op pain and recovery time is dramatically less....the internal work is exactly the same, only the external approach is different....and please don't think that "kick-backs" and gratuities from pharmaceutical companies and medical equipment manufacturers are limited to laparascopic surgeons; they happen across the board in every specialty. If at all possible, pick a surgeon who specializes not only in WLS but in laparascopic surgery of all types...not just a surgeon who has jumped on the ever-increasingly popular WLS bandwagon and is only doing lap WLS. Don't be shy about asking how many lap WLS he has performed and what his mortality/morbidity (complication) rates are. Find out his average operating time...for an uncomplicated case, anything over 3 hours is generally too long and would raise questions about the level of experience. There are many, many exquisitely qualified surgeons who only do "open" surgeries because they have not had the extensive, time-consuming training that laparascopy involves, or do not wish to take the time away from already successful, busy practices to gain that additional experience. Your job as a consumer is to do all the research possible and make the best decision on your own behalf. Choose the most qualified and experienced surgeon available to you...lap or open.
   — Diana T.