Open Or Laparoscopic ?

[SnowDaisy 73]

If I get my bypass it will be done as an "open" operation. This will not be up for debate because my surgeon prefers this method saying it is safer. According to his credentials, he can do laparoscopic but insists on open......(sigh!)

So can I ask you guys if any of you have had "open", why it was done and how much it hurt?

I wonder if this one long cut is going to be more painful than several little ones.

Xxx

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

I find this odd and it makes me uncomfortable....if there's less risk with open why are so many surgeries changing to laparoscopic these days? I can see it being easier for him, just don't understand them saying less risk. I know recovery is significantly longer with open but that's where my knowledge ends. Good luck. I hope you get done good answers to this.

[SnowDaisy 73]

I find this odd and it makes me uncomfortable....if there's less risk with open why are so many surgeries changing to laparoscopic these days? I can see it being easier for him, just don't understand them saying less risk. I know recovery is significantly longer with open but that's where my knowledge ends. Good luck. I hope you get done good answers to this.

Thank you for your reply.

Yes, it states on his website that he was one of the first to do laparoscopic and then goes on to say that he performs all his weight loss surgeries as open and for the reasons I have already stated above.

I'm not happy about it but I don't think I have any choice. He does have a good reputation and I can't find a single thing said against him.

Of course laparoscopic is safe...I had my previous operation done that way, so I know the pain of that...I just wanted to know what to expect with open.

I think you are right, it's just easier for him.

Xx

[SnowDaisy 73]

I find this odd and it makes me uncomfortable....if there's less risk with open why are so many surgeries changing to laparoscopic these days? I can see it being easier for him, just don't understand them saying less risk. I know recovery is significantly longer with open but that's where my knowledge ends. Good luck. I hope you get done good answers to this.

Thank you for your reply.

Yes, it states on his website that he was one of the first to do laparoscopic and then goes on to say that he performs all his weight loss surgeries as open and for the reasons I have already stated above.

I'm not happy about it but I don't think I have any choice. He does have a good reputation and I can't find a single thing said against him.

Of course laparoscopic is safe...I had my previous operation done that way, so I know the pain of that...I just wanted to know what to expect with open.

I think you are right, it's just easier for him.

Xx

Oh, and I think his website mentioned something along the lines of using open as a way of maintaining a 0.01% death rate. (Wording might be a little off).

X

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Oh, and I think his website mentioned something along the lines of using open as a way of maintaining a 0.01% death rate. (Wording might be a little off). X

well, no death is a GREAT thing!!!!! I know there are others around here that ended up with open, hopefully they'll chime in for ya

[SnowDaisy 73]

Oh, and I think his website mentioned something along the lines of using open as a way of maintaining a 0.01% death rate. (Wording might be a little off). X

well, no death is a GREAT thing!!!!! I know there are others around here that ended up with open, hopefully they'll chime in for ya

Ok so reading again, it states that the national average is 1 in 300 and his is 1 in 1000.

X

[cjs_journey 19]

I started as a laparoscopic and ended up having an open procedure during the surgery. I had a twisted bowel they found once in there. I have to say the first week was terrible, the second week was slightly better and nu the third week I finally felt like I was improving. It was rough but worth every single minute of that experience! I am now 32 days out and doing really well.

I don't want to scare you or anyone off because it is worth it...but I wished I had been more prepared or known going in. I had no idea until I woke up after surgery and I just freaked out because everything prior to that was text book.

The pain of standing up straight for me was the worse. Also just the last two nights have I been able to lay on my back without that pulling sensation in my chest.

The good thing is I never experienced the gas pains everyone talks about. I guess because it all escaped during the open part of the surgery!

I also had to deal with 54 stAples to be removed but literally I only felt 4 of them and they weren't bad. I started proving daily once they were taken out.

I hope this helps? I am a person that can handle anything if I know the details upfront!!

Good luck on your journey and if you have any specific questions I'm happy to try to answer from my experience.

[SnowDaisy 73]

I started as a laparoscopic and ended up having an open procedure during the surgery. I had a twisted bowel they found once in there. I have to say the first week was terrible, the second week was slightly better and nu the third week I finally felt like I was improving. It was rough but worth every single minute of that experience! I am now 32 days out and doing really well.

I don't want to scare you or anyone off because it is worth it...but I wished I had been more prepared or known going in. I had no idea until I woke up after surgery and I just freaked out because everything prior to that was text book.

The pain of standing up straight for me was the worse. Also just the last two nights have I been able to lay on my back without that pulling sensation in my chest.

The good thing is I never experienced the gas pains everyone talks about. I guess because it all escaped during the open part of the surgery!

I also had to deal with 54 stAples to be removed but literally I only felt 4 of them and they weren't bad. I started proving daily once they were taken out.

I hope this helps? I am a person that can handle anything if I know the details upfront!!

Good luck on your journey and if you have any specific questions I'm happy to try to answer from my experience.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I am glad that you are starting to feel better now; that must have been scary for you.

I have been having some problems recently. My husband had to rush me twice to the ER because of severe upper left abdo pain that seemed to radiate into my back. The pain had intensified for 2 weeks, I had seen my PCM, but they pretty much brushed my symptoms aside and gave me Carafate.

The hospital and it's staff ( not where I'll be having wls) were useless...they gave me a release document that said gastric ulcer even though there was no sign on CAT or MRI scans or X-rays. However, my bariatric surgeon did an upper GI Fluoroscope and thinks I may have a twisted stomach caused by the sleeve I had done 3.5 years ago.

I saw my gastroenterologist last Tuesday and he said that he doubts after having had a negative H-Pylori test (done at bariatric surgeons office) and having been on of various gastric pump inhibitor meds for years that an ulcer would have formed. So I'm having a colonoscopy and an upper gi endoscopy on Tuesday next week...hopefully they might shed light on what's wrong.

Xx

[SnowDaisy 73]

After reading a lot on here about nicked spleens, I wonder if open surgery help to prevent that somewhat.

Xx

[cjs_journey 19]

My bowel was actually nicked and they tried to cauterize it and it burnt it some...that and finding that the bowel was actually twisted the surgeon said no more we are opening her up to fix this properly. I'm glad they found it...it could have been life threatening at any time and would have warranted an emergency surgery, so in the end I"m thankful that I had the surgery when I did!

CJ

[SnowDaisy 73]

My bowel was actually nicked and they tried to cauterize it and it burnt it some...that and finding that the bowel was actually twisted the surgeon said no more we are opening her up to fix this properly. I'm glad they found it...it could have been life threatening at any time and would have warranted an emergency surgery, so in the end I"m thankful that I had the surgery when I did!

CJ

Well done to the surgeon....

I hate to think what could have happened had he not seen this and took the decision he did.

Xx

[terry1118 1,274]

I find this odd and it makes me uncomfortable....if there's less risk with open why are so many surgeries changing to laparoscopic these days? I can see it being easier for him, just don't understand them saying less risk. I know recovery is significantly longer with open but that's where my knowledge ends. Good luck. I hope you get done good answers to this.

I read risk of infection is higher w/open. Longer hospital stay and longer recovery, too. I had laproscopic so I really don't know much except what I've read here and there when I was researching pre op.

[terry1118 1,274]

Sometimes surgeons have very good reasons to do it open - complications, discovery of additional problems that need attention, scar tissue from previous surgeries - I suppose there could be any number of reasons to start laprascopicly and switch to open. I never heard of anyone having an open surgery, if there was a safer alternative.

[whitslonecker 2]

My surgery was open. I had my gallbladder removed at the same time, hospital stay was 2 nights which wasn't bad. I will say that I hurt so bad after coming home and up to a week and a half after surgery I was incredibly sore. Now I am two weeks post op today and feel amazing, I woke up 3 days ago feeling great and have ever since. I heard the success rates are always better with open only because they can see everything that's going on in there. I had internal stitches and 35 staples, all my staples were removed before I came home though. Only thing so far is I absolutely hate the scar I'm going to have, but its a small price to pay to be healtht for my babies

[SnowDaisy 73]

My surgery was open. I had my gallbladder removed at the same time, hospital stay was 2 nights which wasn't bad. I will say that I hurt so bad after coming home and up to a week and a half after surgery I was incredibly sore. Now I am two weeks post op today and feel amazing, I woke up 3 days ago feeling great and have ever since. I heard the success rates are always better with open only because they can see everything that's going on in there. I had internal stitches and 35 staples, all my staples were removed before I came home though. Only thing so far is I absolutely hate the scar I'm going to have, but its a small price to pay to be healtht for my babies

Glad you are doing great now...it's good to know.

I'm having open and naturally not looking forward to the post op pain during the recovery process. I too am only going to be in for two nights...I was a bit surprised about just two nights. Although I hate the thought of being in the hospital at all, I think I would have felt better if it had been a little longer, just for the "just in case" possibilities.

Does every one have staples with an open incision?

Anyway, glad you are feeling better now.

Xxx