WWYD

I am obsessing about something I don't even have the information for yet. . .

Anyway, my surgeon (1st appt 9/4) is considered the top guy around here. He is supposedly the best of the best. When I watch his video he mentions VSG, and it says he does it, but all his stats that I can find are for rny and bands. I am afraid he maybe hasn't done that many VSGs. He's been a bariatric surgeon for 15 years though. So would it worry you? Or since he's done so many surgeries (over 3,500) would you feel okay?

I have already done all my my weight loss trial, and with this surgeon's partner. I don't really want to switch programs at this point. Plus I have to pay an out of pocket $525 administration fee.

my husband thinks it will be fine.

I would find out how many VSG's he has done.  Each of these surgeries are done differently so I don't think you can compare.  I wouldn't really worry about it but if he has only done a handful then I might reconsider.  In my surgeon's office there are always 2 surgeon's from their practice in the OR so I know I had one surgeon that had more experience than the other and that one of the surgeon's had had wls surger also.

Do you think I could just call and they would tell me over the phone how many he's done?

I also had surgery with a surgeon who had over a decade of experience doing bariatric surgery, but only a couple years doing the sleeve.  I felt confident that he would do a good job, and I went ahead with the surgery.  All went well, and I'm pleased with the results.  But I do understand your concern.  I would have preferred if he had more experience with the sleeve.

Good luck with your decision. 

Carol

My family doctor told me to make sure that my surgeon did a lot of VSG surgeries before going with him. The problem isn't whether they know how to so rhwm, but have they done so many of them that when something goes wrong, they know exactly what to do about it in an instant, without having to stop and figure something out.

So yes, I'd ask. And I'd ask why his video doesn't give more information about them, too. 

He has done only about 20 of them. . . He recently started doing them because he doesn't want to band people anymore, and those that wanted sleeves would get a band over rny. I really don't know what to do now.

I loved my surgeon and he had only done maybe 20 but i was only his second conversion from lapband to sleeve.  It gave me pause but i looked at his other stats on other surgeries and he was well regarded and conscientious, i knew this because i had an awesome surgeon for my lapband but somewhat lacking as a human being so i was determined the second time around to find an awesome surgeon who also gave a **** 

I'm not sure where you live but i'm in La and there are a ton of surgeons here and i could have chose anyone, I chose the guy who knew i was nervous about him because of his lack of experience which caused him to pay really special attention.  Everyone starts somewhere, I mean everyone has their first patient and their tenth and no one wants to fail. I come from a family of doctors and I made very clear my concerns and had them addressed.  also looking around my own family I got to know what does and does not constitute good care.

I also wanted someone younger which by that very fact meant he would have done less surgeries.  Your going to here about a surgeon who specializes in the sleeve and how many he's done and his people are very happy with him.  But he's one and an anomoly since most insurances only started paying for the sleeve two years ago.  Twenty in 2 years for a new procedure does not seem that small a number.  You could ask how many complications he's had in that number if you are really worried but the most important thing is that you feel comfortable, or as comfortable as you can,(given that it's major surgery) in your choice.          Good luck

IMO, I would look for a more experienced surgeon with VSG.  Even if he has been a bariatric doctor for a long time, he doesn't have much experience with VSG.  I wouldn't go to a doc who hasn't done at least a couple of hundred.

That isn't enough surgeries for me to have  been comfortable with him.

You have to go with your gut feeling.  I was scheduled for surgery TODAY and started having a funny feelings regarding what was the best choice for me so LAST WEEK  canceled and am getting some other opinions.  I had even did my preop testing that takes all day.  So if something doesn't feel right to you then take your time and figure it out. I rescheduled my surgery for 2 months down the road so I could be sure.  If you are approved now you will be approved then.  Good luck