Weight-loss surgery proves fatal for driver

[meyour 0]

Dear all,

First of all, I'm not into any anti-lapband or anything. In fact I was a 250kg fat guy and was actually going for gastric bypass earlier in this March. I was to big and risky for the operation so they put me on very tight diet and managed to drop down to 173kg after 5 weeks. Days before operation day, there was a change in plan when my doc offer me BIB - Bio Centric Intragastric Balloon, for FREE, being their workshop supermodel.

This was suppose to help me down another 20kg before I can safely proceed with lap band ops at 150kg.

Like others, I was told / read , lap band is 99% risk free. Somehow we can never ignore the 1% fatality rate......

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/8/3/asia/15032858&sec=asia

<!-- end Breadcrumb--> Thursday August 3, 2006

Weight-loss surgery proves fatal for driver ROSS Tay, 31, and Jade Ma Yu-yu, 23, were just beginning to enjoy life as husband and wife when their marital bliss was tragically cut short. On Monday, the portly tourist bus driver died as a result of complications following gastric lap-band surgery meant to help him lose weight. The procedure involves wrapping an adjustable silicon gastric band around the upper part of the stomach to create a small pouch. This restricts the size of the stomach, so the patient gets the feeling of fullness quickly. The pouch also empties slowly because of the constriction, so it takes longer for the patient to feel hungry again.

With doctors supervising the patient’s diet and careful exercise, weight loss is supposed to follow.

Tay, who tipped the scales at 176kg at his heaviest and was 160kg at his slimmest, is believed to be the first here to die as a result of such an operation. Ma, a Chinese national, told reporters at her husband’s wake on Monday night that it was his second go at the procedure. The first attempt was in March, before their two-day wedding in Singapore, but it was unsuccessful. He tried again last month but it proved fatal for him.

Tay first decided to try the procedure after he learnt from news reports that the number of people going for the surgery had gone up eight times between 2004 and last year. He thought then that he had the answer to his weight problem. Ma said: “He read in several newspapers that the surgery was one of the safest. He wanted to lose weight and be healthy.”

When the surgery was first done at Alexandra Hospital, he had to have the band removed after five days because the doctor said it had slipped. Tay checked in for his second surgery on July 13.

The operation was to have been done through a “keyhole” – a small incision – but the surgeon had to make a 20cm cut on his belly when he could not locate the top of the stomach. Tay’s condition took a turn for the worse on Friday. He suffered excessive bleeding and his spleen had to be removed.

Then his kidneys failed and he had to be put on dialysis, said Ma. Tay lapsed into a coma and died on Monday from complications, including blood poisoning. Police have classified the case as unnatural death. – The Straits Times / Asia News Network

[Irish Dancers 0]

Does anyone know a number on how many people have died from the actual lap band/surgery?

[Chickie 15]

Sounds more like an incompetent doctor than a band killing this man. The whole "couldn't find the top of his stomach" thing is a huge red flag too.

And I am sure there is far more to the story than just this.

[Chickie 15]

Dear all,

First of all, I'm not into any anti-lapband or anything. In fact I was a 250kg fat guy and was actually going for gastric bypass earlier in this March. I was to big and risky for the operation so they put me on very tight diet and managed to drop down to 173kg after 5 weeks. Days before operation day, there was a change in plan when my doc offer me BIB - Bio Centric Intragastric Balloon, for FREE, being their workshop supermodel.

This was suppose to help me down another 20kg before I can safely proceed with lap band ops at 150kg.

Like others, I was told / read , lap band is 99% risk free. Somehow we can never ignore the 1% fatality rate......

Oh, and congrats on 77kg / 169 lb loss in 5 weeks! WOW

[meyour 0]

The operation was to have been done through a “keyhole” – a small incision – but the surgeon had to make a 20cm cut on his belly when he could not locate the top of the stomach.

Lap Band was suppose to be perform using laparoscopic technic, what they call "keyhole" size operation. Most of my weight centering on my belly, in another word I have the characteristic of being a santa clause.

I pose a question to my doc, with my big stomach, is "keyhole" operation still possible. He said yes but big chances they may need a bigger cut, no longer keyhole, more like pigeon hole.

Thus, like any other operations, you'll be vunerable to infections, excessive bleeding.....etc.

They postponed my lap band 2 days before operation date becuase they "JUST REALISED" I was on asprin to dilute my blood. having operation while on asprin medication may resulted in excessive bleeding.

[Wheetsin 714]

According to the info they've provided, that's a surgery-related death, not a lap-band related death. But following the dates doesn't add up at all.

He had his second surgery July 13th. Died Friday of "unnatural death" including excessive bleeding and spleen issues, kidney failure, and blood poisoning.

I see no link between his band surgery and death. Interested to read all the missing parts of the story. I don't see how the band itself would lead to his death symptoms.

[Chickie 15]

Lap Band was suppose to be perform using laparoscopic technic, what they call "keyhole" size operation. Most of my weight centering on my belly, in another word I have the characteristic of being a santa clause.

I pose a question to my doc, with my big stomach, is "keyhole" operation still possible. He said yes but big chances they may need a bigger cut, no longer keyhole, more like pigeon hole.

Thus, like any other operations, you'll be vunerable to infections, excessive bleeding.....etc.

They postponed my lap band 2 days before operation date becuase they "JUST REALISED" I was on asprin to dilute my blood. having operation while on asprin medication may resulted in excessive bleeding.

It would have taken far more than an "open" surgery to kill this poor man.

Open surgeries are still fairly common in gastric bypass, and although the mortality rate is higher with them, it's not the "open" surgery that kill's 'ya. Its other things (leaks, staple line disruption, ect) not the act of cutting the body.

So, like I said before. A larger cut could not - alone - have killed this man. There is more to the story than "They had to do an open surgery rather than lap and that killed him" Because open surgeries do not kill people.

There has to be more to this story than just what is in that article. The media have a wonderful way of twisting things to suit their purpose.

[Wheetsin 714]

BTW, if you wouldn't mind sharing, please post the diet you followed to lose over 150 lbs in 5 weeks. Sounds very dangerous, but I'm interested to see what the allowed foods are.

[GayleTX 1]

It appears to have been in a newspaper in Malaysia.

[meyour 0]

So, like I said before. A larger cut could not - alone - have killed this man. There is more to the story than "They had to do an open surgery rather than lap and that killed him" Because open surgeries do not kill people.

I'm quite agree. Sometime choosing the right medical institution could a vital decision making. Thought doctors has their own "ethical" or code of conduct, public and private hospital may have mission statement. Private hospital charge higher and for the sake of making profit they may close one eye on certain fact.

I registered myself to a semi private university hospital. Lap band here is half the cost of private hospital. Government/Public hospital don't do these kind of cosmetic surgery.

Instead of squeezing money from my pocket, they do a through check on my health condition before performing any surgery. A lady walk in a day after me was put on surgery table next day, but me.... have to wait for 5 weeks.

Upon diagnosis, they found out

1) My Water retention too high - 80kgs was easily flush out within 3 weeks cos it was only Water. Basically it make my pee pee flush every 15 minutes.

2) Most serious problem, my blood oxygen level damn low. I was told I had sleep apnea and I did not know about it. Never heard of it.

Sleep apnea

"A group of potentially lethal disorders in which breathing recurrently stops during sleep for long enough to cause measurable blood deoxygenation."

Low oxygen level is bad for surgery, I was on CPAP machine for 5 weeks before my oxygen level back to normal.

CPAP

continuous positive air pressure. A piece of equipment used to aid patients with breathing.

Only then they can confirm my surgery date.

Unfortunately 2 months without CPAP machine, I think my oxygen level dropping coz I started to get back all sleep apnea symptom. :cry

[meyour 0]

BTW, if you wouldn't mind sharing, please post the diet you followed to lose over 150 lbs in 5 weeks. Sounds very dangerous, but I'm interested to see what the allowed foods are.

Love to share this, remember I was hospitalised so I can't take outside food even i want.

First of all, 150lbs are mostly Water. After all Water being flush out via medication, however following this diet help me to reduce half kg of FAT a day, at constant rate.

Half kg a days = 15 kg / month, if you follow these strickly

Breakfast

1 pc wholemeal bread

1 boiled chicken eeg

1 cup tea/coffee - sugarless / calory free sugar

lunch

1 pc wholemeal bread

2 pcs grilled fish (no salt)

green vege (no salt)

Soup (no salt)

fruit

dinner

1 pc wholemeal bread

3 pcs grilled chicken (no skin no salt)

green vege (no salt)

Soup (no salt)

fruit

The above diet based on 800 calories /day.

Basically high Protein, less fat, less carbohydrate

Fruit - avoid banana

Fruit -limit 1 pc per-intake

I survived 5 weeks. Another patient same ward, survived 4 days.....

[Spydr 0]

Is it just me or is anyone else ticked off when someone refers to the Lap Band as "cosmetic surgery"?

[Chickie 15]

I'm quite agree. Sometime choosing the right medical institution could a vital decision making. Thought doctors has their own "ethical" or code of conduct, public and private hospital may have mission statement. Private hospital charge higher and for the sake of making profit they may close one eye on certain fact.

I registered myself to a semi private university hospital. Lap band here is half the cost of private hospital. Government/Public hospital don't do these kind of cosmetic surgery.

Instead of squeezing money from my pocket, they do a through check on my health condition before performing any surgery. A lady walk in a day after me was put on surgery table next day, but me.... have to wait for 5 weeks.

Upon diagnosis, they found out

1) My Water retention too high - 80kgs was easily flush out within 3 weeks cos it was only Water. Basically it make my pee pee flush every 15 minutes.

2) Most serious problem, my blood oxygen level damn low. I was told I had sleep apnea and I did not know about it. Never heard of it.

Sleep apnea

"A group of potentially lethal disorders in which breathing recurrently stops during sleep for long enough to cause measurable blood deoxygenation."

Low oxygen level is bad for surgery, I was on CPAP machine for 5 weeks before my oxygen level back to normal.

CPAP

continuous positive air pressure. A piece of equipment used to aid patients with breathing.

Only then they can confirm my surgery date.

Unfortunately 2 months without CPAP machine, I think my oxygen level dropping coz I started to get back all sleep apnea symptom. :cry

That is all beside the point. My point was, and still is, surgery alone, open or lap cannot kill you. Something must go so very wrong to kill you. Something other than having to convert from lap to open surgery mid operation has to happen in order for "a surgery" to kill a person.

[Chickie 15]

Is it just me or is anyone else ticked off when someone refers to the Lap Band as "cosmetic surgery"?

Uhh, yes...

[Bettina 0]

It doesn't seem that he died of the surgery...it would seem that he died because of the other issues he had and the surgery accelerated it.

How could they not know where the top of the stomach is?????? You know what else doesn't jive here...they claim that they couldn't find the top of his stomach, yet they claim the band slipped??? Hmmmm how do they know it slipped if they don't know where his stomach is? Sounds like the knife cut his stomach....and stomach wounds are very very hard to fix. Okay maybe not hard to fix, but they can be hard to detect.

I am with Aussie Chick...sounds like the doc messed this one up!!

Actual deaths due to WLS.... I haven't heard of any....death from surgical neglegence yes but i never heard of death by band alergy or band tighness, or band rejection.