Surgeons Stats...

[Caela88 13]

I would like to know what some stats of everyone's surgeons were?

I asked mine how many revisions he has performed. And out of all of them, how many were done in one procedure. His answer was,

"These revisions are rare, I have done half a dozen, same as my partners. Almost all of them we did at the same time."

He is the head surgeon at a top bariatric hospital in my region, and has performed hundreds of sleeves, but now I am aware only half a dozen revisions.... He informed me that the hospital he works for does not like to condone revisions. Just because they don't want people to feel as if they can just get them whenever. My surgery is scheduled January 25th. Thanks friends!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

So when your band has slipped, for example, they don't condone revisions? Personally I felt confident going to a surgeon who had performed many band to sleeve revisions.

[Caela88 13]

So when your band has slipped, for example, they don't condone revisions? Personally I felt confident going to a surgeon who had performed many band to sleeve revisions.

I believe what he meant was since I have not had a slip, or something medically go wrong with my lapband he doesn't want others to feel they can come in and get revised. I personally have had a hard time with finding a sweet spot and it's always toot tight or too open. I believe after having my babies everything got moved around. I have been successful with the lapband, but am so ready for it to be gone!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I had the band for 10 years. I had SOME success but never really found the right spot either. About 2-3 years post band, I had to have all Fluid removed due to uncontrollable reflux. So, by the time I got the courage to "deal" with it, it had slipped, I had a dialated pouch and massive scar tissue. I am still surprised your surgeon has done so few revisions because it does seem like over time the bands sometimes have issues. I knew quite a few people banded around the time I was and EVERY SINGLE ONE has revised or just had it removed. This forum has some great band success stories, but I wasn't one of them.

I appreciated the experience my surgeon had with revisions because they do sometimes have a hard time getting a "proper" sleeve due to scar tissue. I remember when he visited me after I woke up and he said "I think I got you a good sleeve" - and 4 years later, I still concur!

[bandtosleever15 2]

Revising a band isn't rare. Stanford (ca) recommend it to me because of my band issues.They made sure to walk my insurance through because my BMI was under 30. It is rare to place bands these days, at least at a hospital like Stanford which has experts in the field who are teaching doctors. My doctor did 3 revisions after mine on 12/15. But they also have a strong belief of taking the band out and allowing 2 months of healing prior to the next surgery.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I had a three month healing period. Photos from the removal were kinda eye opening...the scar tissue..

Revising a band isn't rare. Stanford (ca) recommend it to me because of my band issues.They made sure to walk my insurance through because my BMI was under 30. It is rare to place bands these days, at least at a hospital like Stanford which has experts in the field who are teaching doctors. My doctor did 3 revisions after mine on 12/15. But they also have a strong belief of taking the band out and allowing 2 months of healing prior to the next surgery.

[Jenpen197803 2]

My surgeon says he hardly places bands anymore and is doing several revisions a month. He's really supportive and positive about revisions. He said that lapbands just never performed the way they were "in theory" supposed to work. As long as you are comfortable and confident in your surgeon, you should be in good shape. If not, it never hurts to look around if you can.

[psychprof 141]

ASMBS has a database of information regarding all kinds of WLS over the last couple decades. I'd check it out.