What is a good/experienced banding surgeon?

Steve, You make some excellent points.  If you feel safe with your Mexican surgeon more power to you.  If it is a matter of saving money and you have to go there then that is what you have to do. I had serious medical issues that could not be trusted to a Mexican dr. that did WLS.  I went from Idaho to Tennessee to get my surgery with the dr. I had chosen, and yes I looked at many of them.  I am so close to the Mexican border I could probably throw a stone and it would land close (kind of), but I wouldn't go there with someone else's money.  Now I may catch a lot of flack for this, and personally I don't care.  I know for some people it is a matter of money and the surgery is much cheaper in Mexico.  I won't go where they don't have auxiliary power and you can't drink the water..not going to happen.  Do I have friends that were banded there...yes, but would I go there myself NO.  I traveled thousands of miles to stay with family and have my surgery at Vanderbilt and I wouldn't change it for anything.  Before you say OK your insurance paid for most, try and remember I was living at someone else's house, paying my bills at home and naturally being my kids I was helping them out immensely.  I spent more money in the 9 mo. there then I ever would have spent taking a quick trip across the border...far more. Now, the subject of aftercare was a big one I checked into.  I didn't want to be stuck with a Fill Center USA and it didn't take me long to find out American doctors wanted no part of Mexican banded patients....they don't give you a reason but they don't.  I'm well aware they have good surgeons in Mexico, I just wasn't comfortable with it. Now people going to Mexico for their fills or surgery need a passport also...talk about one big hassle.  I personally didn't need it. Thanks for your input Steve.... I'm ready for the flames, but sorry just stating my personal feelings.  People hop on a plane and go to Mexico unaware sometimes that there isn't good followup here, no psych exam to see how ready they are and none of the very extensive pre-op testing we have here, which is a nuisance, but very, very necessary to make for a safe surgery. Dee

I'm not going to flame you, but I am going to say that I don't agree with you.  You already know that but I felt I would be remiss if I didn't say it.  So I said it!  LOL...not in an angry way, but stating that I don't agree! 

Bridget, you don't have to agree.  You know how much trouble it is to get good followup care in the states, and you know what you go through every time you need a fill.  That being said, you are lucky nothing has happened to your band, because as of now if you need to go to Mexico you need a passport and it is going to take awhile to get it.  I think you should think ahead and make sure you have one if you ever need it..... Luv ya, Dee

No dumb bunny here...I already HAVE thought ahead and have a passport.

My mother went to a dr in texas for a consult- 15 lap bands a day and bragging!  He did 3 in the hour before the meeting. Does 3 bands before 8 a.m.  She said seh was hearded in and out like cattle.  My dr has done well over 350 lap bands. He is also a general surgeon but the office has gone to lap band. I know personally half a dozen people who have been to him. He is not a member on this board and basically said he'd remove all my fill or I had to keep it. I don't like the all ornothing attitude. I 'researched' 3 dr's in my area and chose the one I heard the most about via word of mouth. I'm just wondering why I didn't look for other factors. He's never done rny but what scared me about the other dr's is that is all they did.  Anyway I have learned that I was eating wrong but he still should have given me the benefit of the doubt. I haven't been back and I'm going to try tro get into dr floyd in norman.

The one thing I always find funny about this type of post is..   If we look for a surgeon with more than 100 bands.. or whatever number..  who are the unlucky 100 people that are the lab monkeys??? I am one of those people that looked for experience, so I am not poking fun..  I was just curious.. Amanda

Well, some of them no longer have their bands...including one woman I knew who was in the first of the lap-band TV commercials. She developed problems and couldn't maintain any reasonable level of fill and needed a removal and opted to replace her band with the VSG (vertical sleeve gastrectomy). She was at goal and didn't want or need malabsorption but wanted to have continued help maintaining the loss she worked so hard for. Those who chose to participate in the FDA trials were very brave...both they and the surgeons were learning...back in 1998-2000 there wasn't anywhere near as large an online community to share information. When I first started my research in early 2001, a lot of the folks I talked to regularly were FDA trials veterans...4-5 years later, I know of a number who, due to problems from inexperienced placements of their bands, lost their bands. We do know something very important from the trials...surgeons in the learning curve have significantly (at least 30%) higher rates of complications such as slippage or erosion...they also have lower average weight loss percentages. That's why the FDA trials showed relatively dismal weight loss results compared to what experienced surgeons with good aftercare can achieve with patients. If someone these days chooses to go with an inexperienced surgeon they need to be one step ahead of the surgeon in terms of knowing what aftercare is supposed to be about because they will have to help the surgeon learn...they can't be the type to blindly follow a doctor but have to be more than willing to be really proactive about their care.  In terms of the actual surgery, the safest within the initial learning curve in terms of direct surgery-related complications is the first couple which are proctored by a very experienced surgeon. But the aftercare is still a crapshoot. Nancy

LOL...it stands to reason someone has to be the first 100, but chances are for awhile they were "proctored" by an expert Amanda, and then I bet they did some of the best banding to be seen because they took so much time to make sure everything was perfect.  I wouldn't want anyone with less than 100 bands myself, but I think looking for someone with over 750 (like Nancy said) is overkill.....actually 100 is a good number to begin with.  I think the first band probably gets loads of attention with experts watching though....but I wouldn't want to be the first I don't think.... Dee

We just CANNOT generalize and say "Mexico is bad." I researched VERY thoroughly, and choose a Mexican surgeon, even though there are several band surgons within 3 hrs of here.  The care I got in Mexico FAR outweighed any care I have ever gotten here. The nurses in the hospital (that had an ER, ICU, CCU, etc) was more caring and less rrushed than that here in the US. My nurse had 2 patients. The nurses here may have 10 or more.  No one does 15 surgeries a day. Dr Kuri, on busy days, does 5, and has time for fills, consultations, and teaching in the afternoon.  ALL the equipment was top-notch. There WAS a generator. . The same Crash Cart was there, as well as ALL other medical emergency equipment. the surgeon I chose has done - even then, 4 yrs ago - FAR more surgeries than ANY US doc.  MANY thousands of US clients go to MX for the affordable - as well as excellent - medical care in MANY specialities, including cardiac care. Many move to MX expressly for the affordable medical care.   I needed a root canal and crown last fall. My US  DDS here wanted $1900 for it. My MX DDS  -who, incidentally, trained at Baylor U in Texas, one of the top medical/dental schools - charged $425, plus the $198 airfare, plus a beautiful hotel and mini-vacation for 2 days. . I had other things i wanted to do with that extra $1200 I saved, thanks  My DDS here, who supported my going to MX, said it was some of the best dental work he had ever seen. After care for Banding  is extremely important, of course,. the surgery is only the very first step.  I believe that it is essential to have local followup if we go to MX, and I say that often. MX is a very good option for many self-pay people, BUT they MUST accept far more responsibility for learning about the band so they can know what to do, and when to get help. We CANNOT think we are going to be able to crawl back onto a plane and fly for care when we are in trouble!  After 4 yrs of being banded, I've seen FAR too many people get into serious trouble, tying to keep too tight fills and more, becuase they don't have TIME or RESOURCES to get back to their docs.  We CAN'T say "Mexico is bad" and we also can't say "It is always good." IT CAN be an excellent option, under cerain cir****tances.  We all have to choose the best option for ourselves, and then live with that option. Sandy R at goal x 3+ yrs