Lots of questions

[terrinelson]

I am interested in weight loss surgery but have a lot of worries about how safe it can be. I've heard that people can die from it. Have you had any deaths at your program? How many weight loss surgeries do you do? What should I look for in a program or surgeon? What is better long term, banding or bipass? Are both of those risky? Thanks.
Terri from Pierz

[Howard]

Originally Posted by terrinelson

I am interested in weight loss surgery but have a lot of worries about how safe it can be. I've heard that people can die from it. Have you had any deaths at your program? How many weight loss surgeries do you do? What should I look for in a program or surgeon? What is better long term, banding or bipass? Are both of those risky? Thanks.
Terri from Pierz

Laparoscopic gastric bypass can be risky. The published death rate nationally for experienced institutions like MIMIS is less than 0.3%, which is less than for a total hip operation. On the other hand, being morbidly obese is also very risky - in most cases more risky than gastric bypass.

These national statistics take into account all patients regardless of age and medical condition, and all levels of surgeon experience. Some programs have more experience, skill and expertise at Minimally Invasive Surgery than others, and therefore have a lower death rate. We have been doing these operations going on 4 years. In the hundreds of weight-loss operations we've done, we have had no deaths.

You should look for a bariatric program that does these operations laparoscopically (definitely not as an open procedure). At MIMIS, we do all of our weight-loss operations laparoscopically, using minimally invasive surgical techniques. And because laparoscopic surgery, especially laparoscopic bariatric surgery, is very difficult, you need to look for a program and for a surgical group that has a lot of experience with this operation - years of experience. It is also worthwhile to find a program that does more than one type of weight loss operation because one operation might be more appropriate for you than another.

Lap Band has a much lower mortality than laparoscopic gastric bypass, and in the long term can be just as successful as gastric bypass, but there are pros and cons to each procedure, and one or the other may be more suitable for a particular patient.

The differences between the two operations are detailed in many places on the internet, as well as our own MIMIS Bariatric Surgery website (click here).

Additionally, information on obesity, the pros and cons of Lap Band vs. Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y bypass, and details on the risks and potential complications of the two operations are covered extensively at our monthly Bariatric Surgery Informational Seminars (click here). You can find a schedule for those seminars on the MIMIS Bariatric Surgery web site or under the Calendar function above in the tool bar. I would also recommend that patients interested in weightloss surgery consider attending one of our monthly Bariatric Surgery Support Groups. At these meetings, people who are thinking about weightloss surgery can talk to people who have actually had it done, and they can hear their experiences first-hand.

Good luck with your decision. The place to start is to first attend one of our informational seminars. To register (free), call (800) 546-4343.

[BigRichard]

Hi all:
I went to the informational seminar back in August in Little Falls. I have been real busy to conform to all that you want me to do. I have lost close to 25 pounds the last 2 months and over 60 pounds since january. I really feel this surgery will get me where I really need to be. Howard I come see you in a couple of weeks and I hope all goes well. These past few months have really put things into perspective for me.

Take care Richard

[Howard]

I look forward to chatting again, Richard.