Would you do open IF you could choose lap?

That is awesome.  I wish I'd had my appendix yanked too.  Anything to avoid another future surgery!

Dr Smith was my surgeon and if you have any questions about his program or process just send my a PM.

I would definitely do lap over open. Lap was tough enough!!

I would choose lap.

Personally, the open vs. lap thing wasn't a big deal to me. I had mine done lap, and am happy with the results and how I've been healing. But if I had an excellent surgeon who only did open, that wouldn't have been reason enough for me to switch.

However, I WOULD switch in order to have surgery with a reputable DS Surgeon right in my backyard.  Traveling doesn't have to be an issue after the DS, and I know many do it successfully. However, there are advantages to being close to your surgeon as well.

So, in your shoes, I probably would look at switching to Dr. Smith now that he's covered.

I've had both surgeries and lap was far easier to recover from.  The risk of infection, bleeding and incisional hernia is lower with lap as well.   When people tell you that they prefer open "so their surgeon can see everything," lap surgeons will respond that they see more, actually, with the scopes.   The only greater risk I know of that is attributed to lap surgery is for an internal or Peterson's hernia.   Sometimes if a patient has a great amount of adhesions from previous surgeries, it takes a bit longer to maneuver the lap instruments, thus making surgical time a little longer.  

It wasn't a huge deal to me, either. I felt that my surgeon should do what he was most comfortable with and in my case--like most of his, I think--Dr. Keshishian chose open.

HOWEVER...I have COPD and open tends to take less time.  My revision surgery was less than two hours start to finish and that was good for me.

Also...I don't get why people think that lap is easier healing.  My Lap Band was, of course, lap.  The healing isn't so much about the incisions, it's about the jumbling and rearranging of the innards.  THAT'S what takes time to heal. 

And you know, that gawd-awful gas--and it is MONUMENTAL and only time improves the situation because the gas is in the abdominal cavity not in the stomach or guts--you get from having your abdomen blown up like a weather balloon is not something you have to deal with when you have open surgery. 

Finally, even a promised lap surgery CAN turn into an open surgery if cir****tances dictate.

Go with the DOCTOR you are most comfortable with, let him choose the procedure.

Sue

If it were me I think I would go with my first choice if he is now available. The added plus is that hes a whole lot closer if you were to ever need him.

Smith

I did make that choice. Here are the reasons I had:

1. Let's face it. It was cheaper. And while my insurance picked up a big portion of the price it did not pick it all up.

2. I could care less about the scar. I knew plastics was in my future so what did it matter.

3. (And here was one of the biggies) If anything went wrong they would open me up anyway.

4. When else am I going to get a more complete internal exam from someone who knew where everything was supposed to be and what it was supposed to look like?

I still stand by these reasons.

My DS surgeon does open but I was given a choice for lap with his assistance and another doctor. I chose open and don't regret it.