Death: about 1 in every 200 patients dies as the result of bariatric surgery.

[emeraldeyesgirl 4]

according to the American Bariatric Association, the mortality rate is 0.13% I have done lots of research along with information from my own hospital, that puts the mortality rate at 1/4 to 1/2 %.

Apparently gal bladder surgery is higher. Like what some of you have written above, it depends on where you go, and the skill of your surgeon . There are organizations that accredit hospitals. you want to go to a hospital that is recognized as a "center of excellence " and also any other certifications.

My general opinion is that there is more risk if you don't have the surgery.

[SkinnyDown 409]

My surgeon told me it was slightly less risky than gallbladder surgery, which I have had years ago. About a year ago I had one of the most risky surgeries, a colon resection due to bowel perforation with a large abscess that took one of my ovaries and fallopian tube with it. Along with 1 foot of colon and rectum. I had 2 surgeries back to back by two different surgeons. (I was misdiagnosed by a gastroenterologist. She said it was Constipation, and kept prescribing laxatives and enemas. I nearly died), but...I didn't. I made it. So that gives me a little more confidence that I can make it through this surgery. I'll have 3 more to go after WLS. 2 knee surgeries and then plastic surgery to remove skin. I made certain that I looked my surgeon in the eyes and told him,"if I tell you that there is something wrong and I am in extreme pain,I am counting on you to listen to me." after the fiasco I went through with the perforated bowel, I needed to make sure he was going to listen. He told me "I'm on your team, I will listen to you". That's what I needed to hear. I have full confidence in my surgeon. I think we freak ourselves out, but you have to weigh (no pun intended) the options. Will the surgery be more risky, than keeping on all this weight? You'll get your answer.

Edited February 12, 2015 by carolm1965

[kcadoret 81]

Personally I took great comfort in the fact that this is a laparoscopic procedure. The hospital I'm having my surgery at in Canada has had 3 fatalities in nearly 3,000 surgeries (two over the age of 50). My surgeon seemed to be very concerned that I was fully aware of EVERY risk associated and their likelihood. As with other people's experiences having a surgeon who is open with you about the consequences both positive and negative I believe is important. I would suggest calling your surgeon's office and asking for a breakdown of fatalities and post op complications.

@@emeraldeyesgirl very neat to learn that it has a lower mortality rate than gallbladder surgery!!

[mclorrie 219]

My surgeon says that the risk from dying from bariatric surgery is less than 1%. You are much higher risk of dying from the diseases caused by obesity than from surgery.

[tomi71 581]

My surgeon says that the risk from dying from bariatric surgery is less than 1%. You are much higher risk of dying from the diseases caused by obesity than from surgery.

My doc lost one patient to DVT. That didn't really scare me. What scares me were the co-morbidities.

[Winnax 10]

Do more reading. Usually you find its from complications not involving the actual surgery but something else. That's why we need to be cleared by so many Drs ????

[Anita Kaddoura 12]

Statistics are skewed. You look at at less than a 1% chance of mortality or greater than a 99% survival rate. Sounds like a disinfectant commercial. ✌️

[brightlife0305 40]

I asked mine in my first visit with him and he told me he'd had one patient die (out of a couple thousand surgeries) and it was after the surgery, the person had a pulmonary embolism. Yes, all surgeies have risks. Quitting the cigs is very important. My surgeon requires his patients to quit 1 year before the surgery.