streetmedic85

Well, glad you guys asked..what a nightmare. I finely convinced my original surgeon (who no longer does lap bands) to do it, he got approval from my insurance by telling them Exploratory Abdomimal surgery for abdominal pain, and fix the tubing while inside, I would be out the cost of the repair kit. My problem has been with the surgeon and his staff, he has fired alot of his staff, so one dosen't know what the other's doing, my surgery has been scheduled twice, moved to another hospital, and then they couldn't find a repair kit, this has been ongoing for three months. But, Good Luck with yous, mine will eventually work out. I hope.

I'm 5 years post band with little problems, until recently, had severe sharp pains in stomach, x-rays showed tubing broke off approx. 3 " from port, still waiting to see original surgeon, current insurance won't pay, who is responsible for $$$, or am i stuck with it? ANYone else with this problem?

Hi Jenny, I too have my tubing "come apart" My band was placed 09/2002, with three fills, with minimal problems, on the 15th of April, I was woke up by a burning pain just below my port, that lasted about 5 minutes, then went away, the Pain started when i got up the next morning, sharp/stinging pain felt in my left flank, groin, and around the port, that came and went, the more I moved around, the worse it was, but would then just go away. it took me a few days to realize it wasn't gas, and I had a X-ray tech friend of mine shoot a picture, and it was pretty obvious what the problem was, the tubing was "Disconnected" approx. three inches from the port, the tubing was sticking straight down into my lower abdomen. I finally got in to see my surgeon yesterday, he didn't seem too concerned by it all, even told me (SEVERAL) times that I shouldn't have had any pain, that it was a common problem, and the company that makes the band, has a "repair" kit. Right now, I'm waiting to see if my insurance company will pay for the operation, by telling them it is Laprascopic exploratory surgery for abdominal pain, (my surgeon kept telling me that he didn't want to be "Dishonest", he still dosen't believe me about the pain)and fix it with the repair kit which I will have to pay for out of my pocket, so we will see what happens, I wish you luck with yours. I also thought it interesting that the Hospital/surgeon no longer does Bariatric Surgeries, (3years) and was real vague about why.

Thanks for replying, I'm told that my insurance would (of course) try to balk at paying, so we'll see. When My PCP called the surgeon who did my band, he was told that this was a "Common" problem for the early bands that this company makes,(BioEnterics/Inamed) and that they have a "repair kit" Also, I was told that the Hospital/Surgeon no longer does Lap-Band, just sounded a little odd to me.