Question:
Those who had a lot of adhesions before wls, LOOK AT THIS!!!
I just read the answers for lap vs open, and someone posted that the complication rate is higher with the lap. I already know that I have numerous dense adhesions from previous fertility surgeries. Would it be safer to request an open procedure? A man posted on the message board this morning that his wife's surgery was complicated by the adhesions. — sm S. (posted on January 27, 2003)
January 26, 2003
But isn't the hernia rate higher with an open? And I know the recovery
time is a LOT longer with the open than the lap. I had previous abdominal
surgeries, too, and had adhesions, some so severe they caused me a good
deal of pain under my right rib cage, but my surgeon was still able to do
the procedure lap and I have had no post op complications. I think you
need to sit down and discuss with your surgeon which procedure is best for
you.
— Carolyn I.
January 26, 2003
If your surgeon is planning on doing your surgery lap and then finds
adhesions that he can't get through, you'll be switched to open. As for
the recovery time being a 'lot' longer, it depends. I had mine done lap
and then had to have it redone 2 months later. The second time it had to
be open. I didn't have much pain with either one, never had a pain pump
for either and didn't need one. I was able to be up and walking the next
day with both. My open incision did open back up a little, but I was put
on a wound vac and that closed it up pretty quickly.
— garw
January 27, 2003
I had a LOT of adhesions from 4 previous abdominal surgeries. I had a lap
rny on 12/11/02, about 6 weeks ago. I was under for almost 5 hours, but it
didn't hinder my recovery. I was back to work the next week. It all depends
on the surgeon.
— Diana L.
January 27, 2003
Hi, it depends on your body. I have a friend who because of other
surgeries has been told she can NEVER have anything done lap. There was an
attempt made once and there was just to much scar tissue.
— CarmelCandy777
January 30, 2003
I think the fact that you may have had multiple surgeries and may have
adhesions is not the issue. I think it's WHERE the adhesions are. Some
may be able to be worked around and some may not. When my sister had her
rny last July, I heard the surgeon talking to the woman who was waiting to
go in after her. He said very clearly that she was to be aware that
although they were attempting a Lap, due to her previous hysterectomy they
would have to check it out, and if there were adhesions they might have to
switch to an open. My sister found outb later on that they were able to do
the lap, but you never know.
— Fixnmyself
January 31, 2003
Hi, My wls took hours longer because of adhedsives and the dr had to give
me a pint of blood. I even had a very bad time with the anestehesia maybe
because of the hours spent cutting away the adhedsives.
— Naes Wls J.
January 31, 2003
I went in for lap RNY. When my surgeon scoped me out, before doing the RNY
part, she found serious adhesions near my bowel from a previous c-section
surgery I had about 12 years ago. She said they were so bad that it was
like someone had poured glue down there. She said I would have eventually
had a bowel obstruction. Anyway, she had to convert my operation to open.
The only other complication I had was after surgery, when my left lung
partially collapsed. I had to stay an extra 4 days in the hospital on a
heavy antibiotic iv.
— Jennifer A.
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