How imporant do you think doctor experience is?

While VSG is definitely gaining popularity quickly (from what I can see) I'd say the majority of doctors within a few hours of me that actually do the VSG aren't high volume VSG doctors.  For the surgery team that I am considering, the majority of their practice is RNY, then lab bands, then VSG and then a very very small number of DS procedures.

I know with the DS, experience is really critical as it is a very complex procedure.  There are studies showing that high volume DS surgeons have significantly fewer complications.  I've never seen such studies, though, for VSG surgeons.

Do you think experience is critical for a VSG doctor?  Or is it less important due to the relative simplicity of the operation?  Did you take experience into consideration when choosing your surgeon?

Thanks in advance for sharing!

 It was critical for me.  If you look at the VSG research, there's a lot of variety in outcomes--because there is no real standard for the procedure.  I chose a group that has hundreds of VSGs under their belt, with good statistical outcomes (60 to 80% excess loss, lower BMI patients closer to 100%)  with a very low leak or other serious complication rate.  If they haven't done many, you don't have any way of evaluating whether they are using an optimal technique and what their complication rates are for VSG.  Good luck!

I think it's VITAL. The better they are, the better you'll be, too.

My insurance company wouldn't cover WLS unless it was done at a Center of Excellence. I'd never heard of a COE before. They gave me a list that was within a 2 hour drive. I live in the middle of nowhere and everything is a 2 hour drive in any direction. I did my research and chose the best surgeon I could. I've had an amazing experience. 

 

I'd personally want my surgeon to have A LOT of experience with the sleeve - not just bariatric surgery in general. I would have been willing to travel further if I needed to for that peace of mind. I'd say it's pretty important. Look at their stats including the # of patients, and % of complications.

In my opinion, I would say that if they can do a lot of RNYs, then they can do a sleeve without too much to worry about as far as complications related to the operation itself.

However, with the sleeve, the size of the sleeve can be a big factor in how successful the procedure is and experience in this regard may be more important.

Maybe you can talk to the surgeon to see how his/her sleeve patients are doing at 1-2-3-5 years out? And ask about the size of the sleeve. I would think those may be more important things to consider if you know a surgeon doesn't have a ton of sleeve experience.

Lindsey

P.S. VSG is NOT a relatively simple operation. Whoever told you it is, is very wrong. This is major surgery. Most of an organ is removed. There are many possible complications. That's why it's so important for you to find a surgeon who specializes in this surgery. Nothing simple about VSG.  

I used the term "relative simplcity" because I meant relative to the DS.  Relative to the DS the VSG is a simple operation.  Relative to many forms of brain surgery, the VSH is a very simple operation.  Relative to... I dunno... an outpatient hernia repair the VSG is a more complicated operation.  I hope that makes sense.

(PS - i recently had pitutiary surgery, so to me the VSG does seem relatively simple.)

(PPS - "simple" is not the opposite of "major")

I just wanted to clairfy my choice in language. Sorry for not being more clear in the first place.  I hope this doesn't distract from the actual discussion at hand.

THANKS!!

Whew. No, VSG isn't brain surgery. Or open heart surgery. Or heart/lung transplant. I'm happy to hear you do know it's major surgery and not a simple procedure someone with very little experience can perform. You've done your homework. Way to go. 

I know for me I wanted someone that had Ivey league school educated and was accredited by the different surgery boards. I know that there was one that got his schooling in South America and I asked to be switched. It was nothing against the other surgeon but I wanted it for my own peace of mind period.

I have a relative who is a bariatric surgeon who trains other surgeons all over the world. His advice to me was this: A lot of experience with RNY is roughly equivalent to experience with VSG - because the surgical maneuvers are very similar. Hope this helps.