I think my doctor gave me the wrong surgery!

I went in for the RNY surgery, and I've had numerous complications. Recently, I have been having problems eating solid food, and so I went in for a swallow test.

The results of my test said this (asteriks added for emphasis):

"Barium initially fills a gastric pouch however,
**there is no evidence of filling of a small bowel loop leading from the gastric pouch and the barium traverses the pouch into the stomach.**

Multiple surgical clips are seen surrounding the stomach.

IMPRESSION:

**A gastric pouch is present, however, this communicates with the remaining portion of the stomach.** The flow of the barium from the gastric pouch into the stomach is slow, however, and depends on the positioning of the patient before emptying occurs.

********No evidence of gastric bypass is noted with no opacification of a loop of bowel from the pouch identified. ********

My surgery has been fairly successful, but I am horrified to learn that my doctor misrepresented the surgery she gave me, and gave me a different one from the one I asked!!

Does this mean she gave me the VBG instead? Should I contact a lawyer? What do I do?

I am so hopping mad right now, because I am not yet in control of my addiction to food, and I've read that with the VBG, only 20% of patients maintain their weight loss after a certain time. I don't want to gain this back, I'd almost rather die, especially considering I ended up almost dying when I got the surgery, and was in the hospital for two months.

Someone please help me with any information, medical, legal, or otherwise.

Sara

338/188

I would get a copy of the Operating Report from the hospital where you had your surgery.  That document will tell you exactly what happened while you were in the operating room  and what surgery was performed. I would also get on the phone to your surgeon and ask her directly what surgery she performed.  You certainly have a right to know.  I know of someone who was told she was having the RNY and only  when she was back in the hospital with problems did she find out she actually had the VBG.  Doctors need to be accountable.

All the best!

I would find out but this is the VSG board, not VBG. I don't know anything about the VBG, sorry.

sorry to hear about your problems. when did you have your surgery? who ordered the swallowing test? most people have those before they leave the hospital. sometimes surgeons are not able to perform the surgery asked for by patient because once they enter the cavity, their maybe a problem. the surgery you are suggesting you had is a vertical sleeve gastrectomy (vsg) if that is what you had you are a lucky girl, we have far less complications than RNY patients, and about the same weight loss. if you did have a vsg your VERY LUCKY ! hope your feeling better soon and have an opportunity to sit down with your surgeon and have them answer your questions. laurap.

Call a lawyer sweetheart .

Sara,  This does not sound like the VSG because the remaining large side of the stomach is removed and there is no pouch just a sleeve (very thin bananna).  With the band there is a pouch then the stomach so I would ask this on the lapband board even though there are staples and no band with a port.  This really sounds strange, so I hope you get some answers.  Priscilla

Well wow thats intense.....there are a whole lot of factors involved here......what u got...what you asked for....what you paid for......or what your insurance paid for......and if u have had lots of pain and suffering......If u collect the operation report.,all your past medical tests and findings,and present them to a lawyer....you will find out whether you have grounds for a lawsuit or not. I would take this test u just read us and go to your primary care provider and have them read it to you. Its the cheapest way of having it interpreted. GOOD LUCK

Just a thought but could it be the FOBI pouch? I know little about it except it was very popular a few years ago.

 

Get the records before you see a lawyer and see if you can't get a straight answer first. Once the lawyers are involved you will get little info from the Drs office.

Well, you have gotten very good advice here so far, I will just add again to what the others have said.  In reading the repot, it does NOT sound like a VSG.  There would NOT be the "emptying" into a 2cd part of a stomach, slowly or not, there is NO other part of a stomach with a VSG.  It does sound like a VBG however.  If you Google VBG, and look at the pictures, you will see how food/liquid would empty into the lower part of the stomach.  ANd yes, please, call or go see your surgeon, make her explain EXACTLY what surgery was performed.  Only after that would a lawyer be able to tell if you have a lawsuit.  I wish you only the best, please let us know what you find out.

Wow, that's awful.  Definitely ask for your records, and go and talk to an attorney.  I'm not a big believer in huge awards for medical lawsuits (part of the reason medical care costs so friggin' much), but if this doctor did give you the wrong surgery, you should at least make sure that she sets things right.  I'm not sure what you did get was a VBG - I'd think this report would talk about the presence of a band, if that was the case.  But maybe she did just the pouch part, and failed to do the bypass.  It may be a fairly simple matter of just completing the operation.  Pain in butt, to be sure, and definitely something that she should be accountable for.  Hopefully a lawyer can get you sorted out quickly.  Take care!