LEAKS more VSGs=more leaks ....up to 9% in Europe

From Bariatric Times Sept/09  VSG and higher incidence of leaks post op VSG  (Europe)

http://bariatrictimes.com/2009/09/23/treatment-of-leaks-afte r-sleeve-gastrectomy/

wow, that is disturbing.

 Okay...maybe it's because I'm not awake yet...but I found it a little hard to track. Of the 29 people who had leaks, how many were immediate/soon after surgery and how many were delayed?

Sorry so dense...
lol

it had that info.  But 9% is so high.  The real paper should be how come their leak rate is so frigging high.  Then they need to sort something out.

I have just logged on and have not read this article yet but does anyone know at what point  the risk threshold for a leak over?  I am about 6 weeks out and such high stats are worrisome.  Thanks for posting.

Almost all of these leaks were in the first four weeks.

Although it is possible to have a leak after that even up to six months, it is extremely rare to have one after the first month.

You are already through the most critical period at 6 weeks, and you chances of having a leak drop off dramatically every day from where you are.

Be vigilant, stick to you eating plan, and you will do fine.

My doc said if you have a leak you will know it:
-Fever over 101
-Racing heartbeat over 110bpm
-Hurts like HELL

Do the math!

29 leaks out of 1123 cases turns out to be just under 2.6% of the surgeries!

Wacky!  I think 2+% is too high too.  but something is off with the article.  I didnt even think of doing the math myself.

It said, if I recall it was 9%, higher for revisions. 

Yes Phred, the math does not back up the 9% number at all. Their reporting really jumble a bunch of facts together, and were hard to decipher. 

But of the 29 leaks, 19 of the 29 were from revision surgeries from lap band or VBG band. They do not break out how many of the 1123 total were revisions vs Virgin VSG surgeries. My guess is that a minor fraction of the total were revisions but were responsible for 2/3rds of the total leaks.

From this inference, the leak rate on virgin VSG surgeries it this hospital actually studied was well under 1% of the total.  Revisions have a much higher leak and complication rate, but we already knew that.

The other important issue from the article is that all but 3 of the 29 leaks were "easily" resolved with stent or other treatment in a few weeks.

The other thing not mentioned is that from what I have read elsewhere, most leaks are actually caused by the surgeons techniques or screw ups, and the do not "just happen" as long as the patient follows the recommended diet after surgery.