Any Deaths due to lap band

[Jamiatu 0]

My surgery is set for Feb 3rd and my Husband is trying to discourage me , tells me a story of a woman that died due to the surgery, SAYS SHE HAD AN INFECTION, has anyone heard of this as I cannot afford to die right now I have 4 wonderful kids that needs thier Mom 100 PERCENT.

[debbie_7155 0]

All surgery has risks..going for your pre op assesment tests will help..its not good anyone to discourage you, they should be supportive...maybe your husband is uncomfortable about you having the surgery & preferes you not to have it & is behaving like this?..you both need to sit down together & listen to what you both have to say...there's always pro's & cons with things...If you dont have this surgery you could face dying of so many more risks with your weight..just think how healthier/happier you will be after surgery & seeing the lbs come off..good luck..try not to worry too much

[HeatherO 7]

There is always a risk of death with any surgery - even if it is much less than a fraction of a percent for lapband surgery. As far as surgeries go, lapband is sometimes performed as an outpatient procedure and is low risk.

There was a thread not too long ago about a woman who was a doctor, had the surgery and then went on vacation immediately after who died due to infection while she was traveling. Although cases like this are very few and far between . . . it has happened.

[HeatherO 7]

I think debbie_7155 does have a valid point.

Risks of remaining obese are definitely developing comorbidities that could cause an early death. It is important to weigh benefits/risks of doing surgery as opposed to staying as you are now.

[luluc 6]

There was a thread not too long ago about a woman who was a doctor, had the surgery and then went on vacation immediately after who died due to infection while she was traveling. Although cases like this are very few and far between . . . it has happened.

that story was the first thing that came to mind as well.

i developed a hernia & port site infection 15 months post op. hernia was repaired & i was on heavy antibiotics to fight the infection. yesterday i had an endoscope that determined my infection was caught in time & healed.

there is risk anytime you go under - either for lapband or dental surgery. you have to decide for yourself if that risk is greater than remaining overweight for a lifetime.

[Hackettsue 0]

:sad:My cousin's daughter's OB/GYN in the Houston, TX area died just before Thanksgiving, supposedly from an infection 3 weeks post op after lapband surgery while she was on a family vacation in Colorado. I'm assuming this is the woman you are talking about. I was just banded on January 19th and would also like to know more about what happened to her. I know her name is Dr. Leslie Parks Finley. Does anyone have any more information about her? Does anyone know where she had her surgery or who her surgeon was?

[SunnyRachel 7]

Jamiatu....

Hi! I think infections are really scary, but the percentage of people who have any surgery and get an infection that leads to death is so tiny compared to people who have surgery and do not develop an infection. There is always risk, but like others have said... your risk of living a shorter life due to obesity is actually greater.

Your family needs you to be healthy, and if your surgeon has faith that you are a good candidate and this surgery will help you, then just try your best to put your fear out of your mind (so difficult, I know!), surround yourself with your family's love, and do your best to follow all of the medical staff's instructions for your pre and post-op care. Get lots of rest, keep a close eye on your incisions, and pick up the phone immediately to call your doctor if anything at all is a concern to you. If something does come up, the sooner you talk to your surgeon, the better your chances are of clearing it up.

I am sending you lots of hugs and all my best wishes for a great surgery and smooth recovery!

[kiz 1]

"I know her name is Dr. Leslie Parks Finley. Does anyone have any more information about her? Does anyone know where she had her surgery or who her surgeon was?"

Hackettsue, here's a link to a thread where her case was discussed on LBT.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/well-respected-ob-gyn-dies-banding-complications-82714/

[mroseharvey 0]

Luluc may I ask what were your symptoms of of a port infection? Were you self pay for your your surgery? Thank you. Rose

[luluc 6]

Luluc may I ask what were your symptoms of of a port infection? Were you self pay for your your surgery? Thank you. Rose

i had port tenderness & some pain after i ate.

i ignored it for a few wks, thinking it was heavy ab exercises my trainer was putting me through. i decided not to play dr & have my surgeon run some tests. it was revealed i had a hernia, which when he was removing noticed a small infection at the port site.....hernia was right under the port.

caught it before it could do any damage (likely erosion if left untreated).

i was self pay for my band (BMI too low), but my insurance covers everything now (including fills) minus my copay.

[twirl 0]

the doc who died is a doctor where I live

- I almost did not get banded - she died a few weeks before I was banded - she was on a trip to Colorado and her husband said she self diagnosed herself - she was three weeks post lap band surgery - she has twins who had a birthday right around the time she passed - her husband is a lawyer or attorney -- they are both educated - we heard ( here in her hometown) that it started as strep throat - she was only 38 - after my surgery I was thinking maybe she thought she ate the wrong foods or ate too much --- I can not understand why she did not take it more seriously --- surely she had a fever---- it is so upsetting

[Maggifer 0]

Surgery is always as risk, no matter whether it's outpatient or not.

I did ALOT of research before I chose the band and I'm so happy I did.

I'm not a doctor, but most of the research I found said that approximately 1 out of every 350 people who have Gastric Bypass die vs 1 out of every 5,000 people who have the Lap Band. But keep in mind EVERYONE has different medical histories and ailments.

Just continue to communicate with your husband, and show him how the benefits of surgery outweigh the risks!

I wish you much luck:)

-Maggie

[health4life 0]

Quick question, was your port tenderness constant or intermittant? I have port tenderness on occasion and sometimes the way I'm lying in bed I feel the tenderness around my port. If I turn over to the other side, it feels better. Not a nagging constant pain though. Thanks!

i had port tenderness & some pain after i ate.

i ignored it for a few wks, thinking it was heavy ab exercises my trainer was putting me through. i decided not to play dr & have my surgeon run some tests. it was revealed i had a hernia, which when he was removing noticed a small infection at the port site.....hernia was right under the port.

caught it before it could do any damage (likely erosion if left untreated).

i was self pay for my band (BMI too low), but my insurance covers everything now (including fills) minus my copay.

[luluc 6]

Quick question, was your port tenderness constant or intermittant? I have port tenderness on occasion and sometimes the way I'm lying in bed I feel the tenderness around my port. If I turn over to the other side, it feels better. Not a nagging constant pain though. Thanks!

it was an every day annoyance, whether pain after a meal or tender while working out/exercising.

[TQUAD64 9]

There are no guarantees in life. All surgery minor or major have associated risks. Your doctor and his staff will do all they can to protect you. And I know you will do all you can by following your doctor's instructions.

Overall, there are studies that show the death rate for gastric banding to be about .01%, which is very low. Sorry I cannot quote the studies for you verbatim, but if you do a Google search you will find information on it.

Good luck!