has anyone had any open surgery???

baby ruth · December 18, 2007

Hello everyone!!

I recently read a post, that someone couldn't have the lapband put in because she had too much scar tissue from a previous surgery. This got me to thinking about the huge scar I have from an emergency spleenectomy in 2000. The scar goes from bottom of breast bone to about 4" below my belly button.

I did ask the dr(not the surgeon) yesterday about this happening to me and he said ...yes it could be but that it wouldn't be known until they try to do surgery. If it is a problem that I could have an open surgery instead of a laproscopic surgery.

Is there anyone out there that has had their band put in and not had it laproscopically? If so, what helpful info can you give me? What problems have you had that are due to the open surgery? Have you had any band problems related to the open surgery?

This is really an issue for me because I have been split open once and it was awful, but at the same time I wasn't prepared in any way, mentally, home care or any other way. Wish I had known what toilet tongs were back then, lol, ...it would have been much less humiliating for me and my dh who took such good care of me then.

Any stories or advice would be greatly appreciated. I want this to happen so badly, that I will probably let them cut me wide open but the thought of it has really taken aback to the point that I'm now scared, and I wasn't before. I'm so close to making this happen, less than a month to my last appointment for my 6 month supervised visits.

One of the my biggest reasons for opting for the band was it was less invasive. If I have to be split open anyway, maybe I should go ahead and do the rny...any thoughts??? Also, when insurance approves for wls, do they approve for the band, or for the rny or just for wls in general? Is this even an option on the operating table?

YES...my mind is working over time on this and I'm a little depressed about it.

I have to wrap my mind around the possibility of this.:help::help::help:

kacee · December 18, 2007

I would think open surgery would be worse. They say it is because scar tissue from other surgery has interrupted the blood flow through that area of the stomach. I had an exploratory surgery at 16 and have a very wide vertical scar from my belly button to groin on the right side (wound up being appendix rupture). I had no problem with laparoscopic surgery because the incisions were well away from the scar and very small. My surgeon never commented on my scar or that it would be any problem at all.

baby ruth · December 19, 2007

I've been doing a more research and found that it really is rare if laproscopic can't be done. Dr De LaTorre is one of the best and I probably shouldn't worry so much about it. I've always been a glass half empty kind of a gal.

Not having much to do at work all day sure doesn't help :ranger:

NurseTeresa · December 19, 2007

Ruth out of all the post of surgeries I have taken care of only one who was done open and it was because of how fatty her liver was and they needed more space to be able to lift her liver up out of the way. Recovery is little longer and of course lap. is always less painful. We have had several who have had major previous open surgeries and they were able to be done as a lap. Sometime the surgeon will do lysis of adheasions and remove that scar tissue while he is in there to keep from problems further down the road. All depends on the surgeon and his techniques. Wishing you best of luck!

December 20, 2007

... I have taken care of only one who was done open and it was because of how fatty her liver was and they needed more space to be able to lift her liver up out of the way.

So was this an extra large person... or just an extra fatty liver? When I had my consult with my surgeon he told me that he wanted me to lose 35 lbs because at the weight I was the day of the consult (354 lbs) I might be pushing the limits of the tools. Now, I know I'm super obese... but I found it hard to believe that I would need to worry about being opened up, and I have lost about 10 lbs with 2 weeks left before surgery. Does fasting or liquid diet within the few days before the surgery really help reduce the size of the liver?

LapBandit · December 21, 2007

I had my gallbladder removed with open surgery about 5 years ago because that surgeon said I was too fat for laproscopic surgery. But, my lap-band surgeon said that guy must not have known how to handle my size and decided open was easier. Easier for HIM not ME. Anyway, it left me with a lot of scarring on my abdomen.

My lap-band doc was able to do my band laproscopically just fine and I was the same size if not larger at the time of banding. (Almost 400 lbs.) Now, he did say that my scarring made it a little more challenging for him but he was able to work around it just fine without having to convert to an open surgery.

I think you'll be fine too.