band eroded in to stomach - anyone had this happen

[rachel01 0]

I was banded two and a half years ago with limited success. My band has been either too loose or too tight, which is the only time I've lost weight. My band is at max fill and I have little restriction

I have recently changed surgeon, a woman who is actually interested in what's happening. She emptied the band to check for leaks - there wasn't one. I did a bariatric swallow to check it's in the right place - it is. Today I had a gastroscopy which has revealed "gastric band eroded into the lumen in the proximal stomach". I'm not sure what this means exactly but I know I'll have to have it removed. I have an appointment with my surgeon next week to find out more details.

Does anyone have experience, or know of this?

Would appreciate any feedback.

Take care, Rachel.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Sadly, erosion does happen in about 1.3% of patients. It is usually from the band being too tight.

They used to think it was NSAIDs that caused erosion, then they realized not everyone that eroded took NSAIDs. Then the same thing with smoking, reflux, etc. Now the current thinking is that too small of a band was placed or the fill was too tight.

There is another theory of what sterilization chemicals are used to sterilize the band. But that's just a theory and certainly nothing that has been proven to be factual.

My personal opinion is that it is the doc. There are docs with a 0.00016% erosion stat vs. others who are seriously dangerous with a 3-4% erosion stat. The only common denominator in erosion seems to be the docs. Either docs have high or low erosion stats, they are not equal with all docs.

Sorry about your problem, I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now.

[mbz 0]

yes, this happened to me. The endoscopy found it had eroded over 60% into my stomach....I had to have emergency surgery the same day. The doc said it was life-threatening, and now I am no longer a candidate for another band. The only symptom I had was no restriction. I have gained all my weight back (I had lost 75) and now I am looking into a new surgery. I was horribly depressed to lose my band!! and angry that this happened to me. But, I am dealing with it now, and I am fighting to fix myself again! Get you band out--asap! Good luck....everything will work out...!

[catzintj 1]

wow that is so sad. i hope you are ok. it is a good reminder to us all not to be too tight. im glad you found a good doctor.

[rachel01 0]

Thanks for the info peeps. Excuse my ignorance but what are NSAIDS ? (I am a smoker )I'm glad that I insisted something was wrong - hopefully it's not past the point of no return. I see the sugeon tomorrow so I'll find out more then.

Take care, Rachel

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Thanks for the info peeps. Excuse my ignorance but what are NSAIDS ? (I am a smoker )I'm glad that I insisted something was wrong - hopefully it's not past the point of no return. I see the sugeon tomorrow so I'll find out more then.

Take care, Rachel

What Are NSAIDs?

[EL1 0]

NSAIDS are non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (aleve,ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.)

[BANDIT.1 0]

THIS IS THE first time I read this thread. Im using some of my retirement money and going to self pay 17 grand and I will absolultly die if I had to find another surgen and pay any more money out. I dont get the band until mid Oct. I will now ask about the warrenty on the procedure. Do you have to pay extra for all this? What does your insurance Co. think if you went that route? I have been reading so much on all the suggcess stories. I nerver thought of the major problems that may come up. Are the problems here rare? This didnt come up in any seminar. If fact the Dr said He NEVER removed the bands.

Wondering

[Mandyw 0]

I would be leery of a doc who says he NEVER removes bands. There is about a 1% chance of erosion. So, he is either not being honest about his erosion rate, or he's just not done that many surgery's to have the stats. Either way, I think I would do a little more research.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I would be leery of a doc who says he NEVER removes bands. There is about a 1% chance of erosion. So, he is either not being honest about his erosion rate, or he's just not done that many surgery's to have the stats. Either way, I think I would do a little more research.

I was wondering the same thing when I originally read that comment.

Erosion... the band has to be removed. The vast majority of all slips can be repaired without removing the band but once every now and again, it has to be removed.

Removing a band after an erosion is tricky and not all surgeons will do it. It could be this doc isn't skilled enough and refers to someone else? Banding is easy, complications are tricky.

But, no way would I spend $17K for a band. I spent $7800 and that was a fair price in my mind. But we all have to do what is right for us.

[BANDIT.1 0]

I would love to be able to go to Mexico but I in no way can be off work for more then one week. and only two times in any given month. Ive been researching the band for about a year. I just couldnt get it organized for a trip. There is only one clinic in my town and they wouldn't appreciate me skipping out on them and then asking for help if something goes wrong and for my fills. I dont have medical insurance so I'm paying a high price for security. My Dr. has done over 600 bands and after thinking about it I think his point was he doesn't remove them, just unfills if you are not happy with the band cuz it is not nessesiary to remove it. he said he does not see erosion problems anymore because of the material the new bands are made of. He made it sound nonexcistant anymore. Im now worried because ive been reading about lots of rebanding. I dont understand why some people are rebanded. I did find out i have a guarentee of two years for any problems that may arise and all fills for that time too. Is two years enough time to be covered? They put off my surgery for a month later then what i had planned because of our schedualing problems. do you think I should I re-negotiate the years covered? 17 grand seems awfully high but seems to be the norm in Washington state. I have not paid out a penny yet but have been to a neutritionalst. I have put off the blood tests, figure ill wait until its closer to my date the end of Oct. he didnt order xrays is that normal? oh yea, do they always mess with the belly button? mine has issues i forgot to have him look at it.

thanks for your time.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

If you are in WA state, you could come to Oregon and have Dr. Tersigini do it.

People come from Idaho, Montana, Nevada etc. He charges $10,000.00

I was only off work 3 days. I had the band on a friday, Monday was a holiday, and I went back to work on tues.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I would love to be able to go to Mexico but I in no way can be off work for more then one week. and only two times in any given month.

You can go to Mexico in less than a week. For example, you fly into San Diego on a Thursday, pre ops that day, surgery Friday, hospital Friday, Saturday, leave the hospital Sunday, fly home that day, be back to work Monday if that is what you want or take the full week off.

My Dr. has done over 600 bands and after thinking about it I think his point was he doesn't remove them, just unfills if you are not happy with the band cuz it is not nessesiary to remove it. he said he does not see erosion problems anymore because of the material the new bands are made of.

Nobody even knows the reason for erosion. The latest thinking is that it is cause from a band that is too small or an overfill that goes on for too long. But the band has been made of the same material for a very long time and erosion still happens.

Then there are slips that require surgical intervention. Sometimes they just need to be repositioned but once in a while they have to be removed. An unfill wouldn't always fix a slip. Usually it does, but not always.

He made it sound nonexcistant anymore. Im now worried because ive been reading about lots of rebanding.

Removing the band happens, it certainly exists. Now, one thing I have noticed and I have no clue why this is, it might be an insurance issue for all I know but in Mexico they will usually reposition the band. In the US they remove it and either replace it at a later time or convert to a different procedure. It's harder on the patient and more costly that way. But those are not common problems.

I dont understand why some people are rebanded. I did find out i have a guarentee of two years for any problems that may arise and all fills for that time too. Is two years enough time to be covered?

A problem can happen throughout your life. Erosion can happen six months down the road or 20 years. Same with slips.

They put off my surgery for a month later then what i had planned because of our schedualing problems. do you think I should I re-negotiate the years covered?

I would find out what the years cover. I'm sure the docs time is covered but if you had to have a band removed or repositioned, who pays the hospital? Is he suggesting he'll cover the hospital expenses?

17 grand seems awfully high but seems to be the norm in Washington state. I have not paid out a penny yet but have been to a neutritionalst. I have put off the blood tests, figure ill wait until its closer to my date the end of Oct. he didnt order xrays is that normal? oh yea, do they always mess with the belly button? mine has issues i forgot to have him look at it.

thanks for your time.

Yes, xrays are standard. He'll likely order a chest xray before surgery and a barium swallow after surgery. It's standard, the better docs do this.

I wouldn't pay more than double what I did. For my doc it was $7800 (but that was a special, it's usually $8200) for everything. ALL labs, xrays, pre ops, EKG, HIV, Hep, UA, the anesthesiologist, surgeon, asst. surgeon, internal medicine doc, the band, two nights in the hospital, transportation to and from the San Diego hospital, barium swallow the day after the procedure, etc. The only other cost I had was transportation to San Diego. Fills are free for life but the hospital charges around $75 for the radiologist and xray equipment. Follow up care (office visits, etc.) are free but anything surgical related is at his cost. He doesn't charge for his fees, only hospital fees if you were to slip requiring repositioning, erosion, etc. My doc has had one erosion in 1600 patients, possibly 2 but that is doubtful. Apparently the US docs disagreed if the patient was eroded and the surgeon (being in Mexico) was never able to get the final opinion since the US docs couldn't agree if the patient eroded or not. They just removed the band.

So yeah, I think $17K is way too much. I think the more docs doing this procedure the less docs will be able to charge. They used to charge $30K for the same procedure but competition forced them to lower their prices and I think that trend will continue.

No, they don't mess with your belly button. It's much higher up, at least most of the time. Some docs go a little lower.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I agree with WasaBubbleBut. That is too much money. I don't know very many people that needed a week off work. You could easily get it done somewhere else and still get your week off.

[BANDIT.1 0]

Thank you sooooo much. I appreciate both of you answering. Xbubblebutt . The clinics I checkd out have only banded staff. Are you a Dr., working in a band clinic or a writer? Ive read 4 books on lap bands and you seem as knowledgable as anyone Ive read. oh yea, my Dr. has no plan for xrays on me and does the surgerys in the hospital short stay clinic. said I'll be in at 6:30 am and on the way home by noon. He thinks mine will be very standard. He does them every day of the week. his entire practice is bands. I have a 52 bmi. Do you think he is over confdent? and yes, the guarentee includes EVERYTHING and anything pertaining to to band for two years. labs, drugs, tests, Drs. nursing, hospital. but, I think I wiil explore more options. maybe not take the easy way less hassle (pay up the butt) route. I do want good care. that's a priority. The only time I've been in a hospital was to have kids and i didnt stick around very long then.

I appreciate your knowledge