Surgery done by VA doctors?

chell1957 · January 21, 2008

I am looking for anyone who had the surgery done by the Veterans Hospital Admin. I was told that some of the VA hospitals now do the surgery. I also know that TriCare (for the retired and family) will cover it.

ladyveteran · June 17, 2008

Hey Chell: This is Meshelle in Dallas, Tx and I am planning to have my surgery here at the VA Hospital. They are doing the lap band, the sleave and the gastric bypass here. They are also currently doing a lap band/sleave clinical study here. You have to have been an outpatient for at least a year before you get into the study. You're doctor can also recommend you have it as regular surgery.

I have about five or six pounds to loose before I can see the surgeon and the psych.

I am looking for anyone who had the surgery done by the Veterans Hospital Admin. I was told that some of the VA hospitals now do the surgery.

JudyAnticola · June 17, 2008

I am looking for anyone who had the surgery done by the Veterans Hospital Admin. I was told that some of the VA hospitals now do the surgery. I also know that TriCare (for the retired and family) will cover it.

CHAMPVA covers it as well, but I have not heard of it being done at the hospitals. At this point it is not being done in Buffalo, NY.

What VA would you be going to?

JudyAnticola · June 17, 2008

Hey Chell: This is Meshelle in Dallas, Tx and I am planning to have my surgery here at the VA Hospital. They are doing the lap band, the sleave and the gastric bypass here. They are also currently doing a lap band/sleave clinical study here. You have to have been an outpatient for at least a year before you get into the study. You're doctor can also recommend you have it as regular surgery.
I have about five or six pounds to loose before I can see the surgeon and the psych.

A clinical trial would be the way to go! No co-pay!

What does the sleeve do, probably the same thing? I do not think they do the sleeve here.

ladyveteran · June 18, 2008

Sleeve gastrectomy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sleeve gastrectomy is a surgical weight-loss procedure in which the stomach is reduced to about 35% of its original size, by surgical removal of a large portion of the stomach, following the major curve. The open edges are then attached together (often with surgical staples) to form a sleeve or tube with a banana shape. The procedure permanently reduces the size of the stomach. The procedure is performed laparoscopically and is not reversible.[1]

Procedure

Sleeve gastrectomy is usually performed on extremely obese patients, with a body mass index of 85 or more,[2] where the risk of performing a gastric bypass or duodenal switch procedure may be too large. A two-stage procedure is performed: the first is a sleeve gastrectomy, and the second is a conversion into a gastric bypass or duodenal switch. Patients usually lose a large quantity of their excess weight after the first sleeve gastrectomy procedure alone, but if weight loss ceases the second step is performed.

For patients that are obese but not extremely obese, sleeve gastrectomy alone is a suitable operation with minimum risks. Some surgeons even prefer it over gastric banding, because it eliminates the need of having to insert a foreign body.

Complications

Like any surgical operation, sleeve gastrectomy has possible complications, such as leakage, dilation of the sleeve (which allows for more food intake) and other usual complications associated with bariatric surgery, though the risks are known to be much lower than in RNY gastric bypass and duodenal switch.