How long after the surgery can you get a leak?
The research that I have done and sorry I can't find the link (this was research on partial and full gastrectomies for ulcers and cancer not just the VSG). It takes up to 3 months for the scar tissues to fully grow over the staple line and basically seal it.
A leak can develop during that time so I made sure not to eat anything like seeds and strawberries and kiwis and popcorn as to me those things can get lodged in the staple line.
I have seen someone as far as 3 months out whose leak was found, now it could have developed before that, but from what I remember the body developed like a pocket where the leakage was being stored so it wasn't leaking directly into the body cavaity.
Ms Shell
A leak can develop during that time so I made sure not to eat anything like seeds and strawberries and kiwis and popcorn as to me those things can get lodged in the staple line.
I have seen someone as far as 3 months out whose leak was found, now it could have developed before that, but from what I remember the body developed like a pocket where the leakage was being stored so it wasn't leaking directly into the body cavaity.
Ms Shell
My surgeon said two weeks.....he said two weeks is the critical stage, if you were to develop a leak it will happen within that period. he said leaks happens at the end of the staple line, when wounds are healing they tend to open up a little at the ends....that's why the blood works after two weeks is important.
At my two weeks appointment with him he said i'm pretty much safe now just follow the eating plan. and when i ask him "how long does the staple line completely heals" he said it's pretty much healed now.....i was like wow!