Staple line question
HI - I've been on here asking questions on/off for the last year or more. I'm trying to decide if I want to revise from band to sleeve. I'm curious about the staple line and please forgive me if this sounds stupid.
They use metal staples to close it? Those stay in forever (obviously) but does the staple line ever heal? does it scar over? I've watched a lot of videos about it but they never really say what happens after.
I saw my surgeon today and forgot to ask him but we had a good talk and if I want it, he'll do it. We're just not sure if revising from 1 restrictive procedure to another will give me the same results I've had with the band. It's a hard decision to make.
Thank you!
they are made from titanium and stay in there for ever but they get covered by scar tissue
they will not st off a medal detector , but it is always best to tell x ray technicians about them when you get a xray , mammogram ect because the will show in the xray and might confused the person reading them
there is a great u tube of the surgery posted by one of the best Mexican surgeons it is a vidio of a real surgery
I could not find that one but this one shows the surgery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7lsUPsoUzY
it is not for the squeamish
if you ned to get the band removed because it is causeing problems but has worked for you the sleeve will work great for you
if you did not lose with the band because you ate the wrong food the vsg is not for you
you might talk to the surgeon about doing a ds is 2 steps and if the first works for you ( the sleeve part) you do not need to do the by pass part , it is very common to do it this way and thats how the vsg started for weight loss (it was used for cancer and ulcers before)
many people had the sleeve part done and lost so much weight they did not need to get the by pass done the next year
Thank you for the information, I'll check it out. The problems I have with my band are not being able to eat. Some days I can, some days I'm sliming and throwing up everything that I eat. As a result, I know that I will try to get something down that is easy. This doesn't happen daily, but it derails a healthy eating plan quite quickly.
My hope is that with the sleeve, I can eat the healthy foods that I cannot have with the band. The band restricts anything with a peel, anything fibrous, raw vegetables aren't easy for me to get down. I don't know if VSG'ers can eat these things (small portions I know), but I would be happier knowing every day that it's going to feel the same and I won't throw up lunch or slime up my protein shake (yes, sometimes I slime on water or my protein shakes).
Sorry, I rambled, but thank you the information!
Karen
I had the band almost 4 years and had the same issues. I am out 2 years with the sleeve and it is working as well as the band didn't. Best thing I ever did was get that band out, heal for 4 month and than was sleeved. I never really got under 200 with the band. (just a few days when my brother died.) With the sleeve I made it to my third goal of 155 and lost another 15. 2.5 years out and dealing with major family issues I am staying between goal 155 and 160. With out this sleeve I would most likely be at least 300 if not 350 by this point in my life. Going band to sleeve was they best thing for me.
BAND REMOVED 9-4-12-fought insurance to get sleeve and won! Sleeved 1/22/13! Five years out and trying to get that last 15 pounds back off.
Scar tissue forms over the staple line over time.
"Oderint Dum Metuant" Discover the joys of the Five Day Meat Test!
Height: 5'-7" HW: 449 SW: 392 GW: 179 CW: 220
My Doc told me that a very important factor on staples, healing, leaking is the degree of 'over sew'. That means to what degree the sample line if folded over and sutured, to increase strength (decreases risk of leakage).
He told me that some Docs only 'over sew' the ends, which is where most leaks originate.
BUT ... he told me that he will over sew the entire staple line, not just the end points.
-RC-
