VSG History

How long have they been doing VSG's. I am a little concerned because when I got my band it was suppose to be the safest....best ....least risk...I have found out that was not the truth.....Hubby has questions which are very valid....He will support me in whatever descion I make.  He is an engineer and likes facts and figures !!

Partial gastrectomies have been done for over 100 years.  They started out as a way to remove stomach cancer.  

They've been part of the DS for many years and only done as a stand-alone for 10 years or so.  

I think almost all band-to-sleeve revisions will say the sleeve is way better than the band!

Like the above poster, they've been doing it for decades for stomach cancer, extreme ulcers, etc. 

What are your husband's specific questions?

You may wish to share this with him:  http://asmbs.org/2011/10/statement-update-sleeve-gastrectomy -as-a-bariatric-procedure/

And it's getting more and more common that Doctors and/or Hospitals are no longer performing Lap Band Surgery. Mine does not so it wasn't even an option for me. However after my friend had hers and is having so many problems... I didn't want any part of that procedure. Cornell University Bariatric website has some great information on the VSG.

For the best results - safest, least risk, best loss, etc. look for a surgeon who has done lots of sleeves, at least 500 or so. Many out there are very experienced with the RNY and/or bands but are just getting their feet wet with the sleeve so they may not be up on the best techniques in making them or in the best care and feeding of them post-op, often treating them the same as an RNY pouch. There are a few surgeons out there who have been doing stand alone sleeves for upwards of ten years, but there are also many more DS surgeons who have been doing them as part of the DS for as long or longer, so those are the two groups you should concentrate on looking for. My doc and his brother have been doing sleeves as part of the DS for around twenty years, and their program reflects that experience.

I'm a reformed engineer, so I also like the facts and figures, but I also appreciate the relative simplicity of the sleeve. The bands were/are marketed as being simple, quick and safe with few complications which is true - to a point. From the operative standpoint, those are basically true statements, but ignores the much greater complication rate down the road, along with the relatively high failure rate - both for unsatisfactory loss and on regain. The VSG, along with the RNY and DS tend to have what complications they're going to have up front, at or immediately after surgery with declining complications the further out one gets.