Almost Died In Lap Band Surgery

[Scott4680 1]

Well I went in for my surgery on Nov. 8th 2011 at 6:30m. I had done everything right according to my doctor. I took the two week liquid diet very seriously. I was 7 months into this whole thing between doctor visits, physiological visit, tons of work ups, blood, sonograms, stress test, nutritionist, you name it.

I kissed my wife and was taken back to pre-op. I started the whole program at 253 lbs. Day of surgery I was about 218 lbs. I woke up in post-op in ALLOT of pain with nurses trying to tell me that there was a major complication and the band was NOT put in. They also told me that I would be spending the night in the hospital.

I had an I.V. in my left hand still. I also now had a I.V. in my neck with 3 lines coming off of that. And I now had 29 staples in my stomach.

Here is what I was told happened.

I was told by the surgeon, he began cutting with the camera/ instrument on the incision the in in the middle of you stomach area. He watched as it passes through several areas of tissue. He was expecting for it to pass through this last part of tissue which then he enters the abdominal area but he did not see that last layer. He stopped cutting. Discussed with others in the OR. They felt he still had not cut far enough so he should continue. After continuing he was informed that my pressures were dropping. They cut another 1" incision under my left breast to place a camera to try and see what was happening. When that didn't work he cut me from just under the center of my breast bone to my bellybutton. He had hit my aorta which leads to my femoral artery in my legs. They stopped the bleeding and ended up having to give me two units of blood (unmatched. I am O Pos) and made the rest up with saline. I was told by the nurses that I had lost more than two units. When I woke up in Post-Op my blood pressure was 70/42 and my pulse was 102. The surgeon came to my wife to explain what had happened. They also had her sign a waver for me to receive the unmatched blood.

I also for some reason woke up a little early and was somewhat awake when they pulled the tube out of my throat. Scary!

They let me go home later the next day. I was home for 3 weeks. had my staples removed. Am now back to work but still shore and healing. I am now down to 204 lbs. 49 lbs gone. Doing it myself. Lost allot after the surgery too. Just couldn't eat.

While I was in the surgeons office having my staples removed he seemed like he was talking the entire episode down. Like it wasn't a big deal. He even told me that I didn't loose all that much blood and that they didn't have to give me any?? I didn't question the story change. Just wanted to get out of there.

He came to my wife in the hospital and said they HAD to give me blood and had here sign the waver. I was told by nurses that they gave me blood. He also told me in the hospital how scary it was for him. ow it's no biggie??

The stay in the hospital was really bad too. Hardly any help from the nurse on duty that night. Hardly any pain meds because they said it was making my heart rate drop and my pressure was low as it is.

The whole thing was just a mess and scary.

Allot people I work with thinks that I should hire a layer. I really don't know about that. The surgeon says he has done 3000 of these and I am the first. He told me that he nicked the side of the aorta. He said if he had hit it in the middle I wouldn't be here today.

Always a plus side I guess.

[KhadijahRose 66]

Wow. Well it's good to see that you're healing well and that you have good spirits about the whole situation. Congratulations on your weight loss thus far as well. Do you intend to continue with the surgery or will you continue to go it alone??

[Scott4680 1]

Wow. Well it's good to see that you're healing well and that you have good spirits about the whole situation. Congratulations on your weight loss thus far as well. Do you intend to continue with the surgery or will you continue to go it alone??

I guess on my own. At the hospital the surgeon mentioned something about me still having it. Three weeks later in his office he said I had done great thus far and he felt with everything that happened that I should not have it done. I in all honesty am scared to have it done now. And hoping I won't need it.

[skinnybitch 3]

I'm so sorry that happened to you. I say it doesn't hurt to talk to a lawyer. The fact that his story is changing and he is trying to brush it off as nothing is a little suspicious.

Side note: I'm so proud of your for losing all this weight so far without surgery, as you should be proud of yourself, too! I know it's hard.

[skinnybitch 3]

I would be scared to have it done if I went thru what you went thru. I don't know that I could. But keep on doing what your doing. Even if you don't have the surgery, you'll always have support on this forum!

[xavier 153]

I feel terrible for you and I am so sorry you didnt end up getting banded. I dont know why you would get a lawyer though except to make some money or hand out some punishment. There has to be damages (to you) and those would be quite small...doctors are just people.

[Scott4680 1]

Thanx to everyone for the support. As for the lawyer thing, My wife and I are not after anything. For some reason allot of people that hear about this they always say, Did you get a Lawyer yet? Not my thing. I don't like that the doctor started playing it down but you sign a paper stating there are risk. This was one of the risk.

BTW, My wife was Banded two weeks before me and is doing great. She had her first fill about two weeks ago.

So proud of her. She is about 35 lbs down over the last 8 months. We started this whole thing together.

[Pamers 2]

Hi Scott. So glad you recovered well. How very scary that this happened. It is wonderful that you and your wife are losing weight together. Keep up the good work and be proud of the success that you had so far.

[Scott4680 1]

Again Thanx..

[pink dahlia 2,513]

i agree with skinnybitch, i would talk to a lawyer too. even if you signed a paper it doenst excuse incompentence. theres a difference. how do you know this is the first time its happened? do you want someone else to go thru this ? its not aboiut money, its about being held accountable. i wont go into detail but many years ago i also spoke to 4 lawyers over a drs incompentence. they did not take on the case but felt i should definetly take it to our local medical board. i did get the dr to change his way of doing things, it was never about money and it took alot of thought for me to pursue it in the 1st place. it was about an enormous lack of common sense and i am the one who still deals with it daily. see alawyer for your own piece of mind, and let him/her direct you as to how to handle it next. its not about the money

[Scott4680 1]

i agree with skinnybitch, i would talk to a lawyer too. even if you signed a paper it doenst excuse incompentence. theres a difference. how do you know this is the first time its happened? do you want someone else to go thru this ? its not aboiut money, its about being held accountable. i wont go into detail but many years ago i also spoke to 4 lawyers over a drs incompentence. they did not take on the case but felt i should definetly take it to our local medical board. i did get the dr to change his way of doing things, it was never about money and it took alot of thought for me to pursue it in the 1st place. it was about an enormous lack of common sense and i am the one who still deals with it daily. see alawyer for your own piece of mind, and let him/her direct you as to how to handle it next. its not about the money

Thank you for the advise. What bothers me is that he somewhat blamed what happened on the fact the I was fairly thin when the surgery took place. Then why did he do the surgery?? He could of said no. Was it about the money for him?? Then 3 weeks after the surgery he suggested to me to not have lapband done, that he felt it wasn't a good idea. Why was it a good idea 3 weeks prior when he almost sent me a an early grave at the age of 42.. Sorry but I am a little upset about the whole thing.

[KayleighsMommy 16]

Thanx to everyone for the support. As for the lawyer thing, My wife and I are not after anything. For some reason allot of people that hear about this they always say, Did you get a Lawyer yet? Not my thing. I don't like that the doctor started playing it down but you sign a paper stating there are risk. This was one of the risk.

BTW, My wife was Banded two weeks before me and is doing great. She had her first fill about two weeks ago.

So proud of her. She is about 35 lbs down over the last 8 months. We started this whole thing together.

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Glad you are OK, though. I agree with what you said about peoples first reaction always being to ask if you talked to a lawyer. I had a really bad surgeon, who nearly killed me 3 weeks after my banding by not taking care of me properly. Then 2 1/2 years later I needed emergency surgery for an erosion. Then I find out he had another patient erode around the same time I did. Cost her 10K for another band, costing me 10K for a bypass next week.

But...... we signed papers saying that was a possible complication.

I would be happy just to get back my original 10K spent for the band, as well as the money I will be spending next week for the surgery to correct the problem the eroded band caused.

Sometimes it's not the money, it's just the principal.....

[KayleighsMommy 16]

BTW. I forgot to say congrats on the weight loss on your own. Glad your wife is doing well with her band.

[loretta\ Baconton Georgia 10]

I am small too compared to the average lapband patient according to my doctor. I am now 202 pounds. I started at 224. Well I have comobities that are also at plan and alot of genetic factors also. I wanted this. I wanted my surgeron to do this. He is following my issues. Morally he could turn me down.. but my insurance has approved me and this is what he is in business to do. Prob same scenario with you...

[54Shirley 105]

I would talk to a Malpractice Lawyer ! There catch is,,, that if it's not down on Report where he admits he made a mistake. you really can't do much about it. That's the way it was explained to me by a Attorney, and not to many Document their mistakes.

On the other hand, you have the Surgeon talking to your wife, and signing for a paper, that say's you need blood.

(WHEN I HAD SURGERY THEY ALREADY HAD MY BLOOD TYPE THERE WAITING FOR ME IF NEEDED.) your situation is a bit different, so they could look into it. Also Keep the Date, (I KNOW YOU KNOW IT !), and the time you were scheduled or the time you went in. This way his whole Team can end up in Court. Someone will have to tell the truth.

Good Luck on your Journey with a attorney, and a big Conrats for all the weight lost. Let it be for good.