Question:
Surgery Types- Open vs. Lap
I'VE BEEN DOING RESEARCH AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY.I BELIEVE THE ONE I'M GOING WITH IS RNY BUT I DONT UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE IN OPEN OR LAPRASCOPIC. WHY WOULD YOU GO WITH ONE OR THE OTHER? THANK YOU!:) — LISA B. (posted on August 3, 2002)
August 3, 2002
Hi Lisa...this is a question that is answered in the archives. There is a
lot of info in there and should be able to help you with your research and
decision making process. Good luck and God Bless!
— Kimberly L.
August 3, 2002
Open is where they make a large (mine was only around 4 inches) Vertical
incision through your abdominal muscle to do your WLS. Laproscopic is where
they make a few tiny (1/4 inch?) slits in different places. They put a tiny
camera through and the instraments for surgery also go in the tiny slits.
Both the Open and the LAP each have pros and cons.
Personally I feel the Open is safest. But then the LAPS say there's is. As
I said, both have good and bad. You have to go with the one you feel is the
best for YOU.
— Danmark
August 3, 2002
I am a strong believer in lap myself. I had it in June without any
problems related to the procedure. With lap, you are able to get up and
walk quicker so the healing time is shortened and you have less chance of
developing blood clots. You also are not at risk for an incisional hernia
which can occur in an open procedure. Another thing that makes the lap
more appealing to me is the fact that you are not left with a large scar
and a permanently weakened abdomen (significant or not?). At any time in a
lap procedure the surgeon can and will convert to open if visibility
becomes threatened or if complications arise. Good Luck at whatever you
choose.
— Tina B.
August 3, 2002
You heal faster and get back to normal with Lap but be aware that Lap
surgery is difficult to master. Not every doctor who attempts it is good
at it. That's why many people feel safer with Open surgery. I had to
really dig around to find a doctor that was good at Lap. I'm very happy
with it. Ask how many times they have had problems leakage. That's
extremely important cause leakage can be very dangerous.
— Carmen K.
August 3, 2002
It's fine and good to ask a LAP surgeon how many times there have been
problems with leakage. But how do you know he is going to tell the truth?
You don't. I asked tons of questions to a surgeon (not WLS) about his
methods and results. He was the nicest surgeon you'd ever wanted to know
AND board certified. Yet he lied all the way to the bank and I live with
the mess he created. I'm not picking on Carman. Not in the least. It's just
that I can not trust any surgeon whether doing Lap or Open, (or any type of
surgery) to tell the truth again. Should they have a bad record, do you
think for a moment that THEY will be honest? No way! Rather I would
recommend finding others (here on AMOS)that have had surgery with your
surgeon. THAT AND ONLY THAT will give you a good idea. Sure, it does'nt
hurt to ask ANY surgeon what his/her success and failure rate is. But I
would'nt take his/her word for it. Would to God back in 1993 I could have
talked to others who had a certain butcher for a surgeon (not WLS). I
would'nt be in the mess I have been all these years. Please, whatever
proceedure you do, get a doctor who is experienced in that (like Carman
said). She's right. But also contact others who have had him. THAT is where
you will really find out whether you can trust this person. I hate for
someone to have to go through the mess I went through, just because you
were nieve (and a decent enough person to take someone at their word which
I'll NEVER do again) enought to trust any surgeon to tell the truth. My
motto is the X-Files one: TRUST NO ONE.
— Danmark
August 4, 2002
Direct questions asked in a public forum such as a support group will be
truthful. Having a surgeon lie in front of a group puts him a hugh risk if
things go bad...<P>
Laps recover faster, have nearly no incisional hernia risk, the 30% of
opens end up with more surgeries to fix hernias.<P> That faster
recovery less pain means easier time getting around, lessening the chance
of blood clots. Lap is harder for a surgeon, but then cutting people up
isnt easy to begin with. Like everything in life nothings perfect but LAP
is the future of surgeries...
— bob-haller
August 4, 2002
Bob, who said anything about a surgeon lieing "in front of a
group"? Perhaps I missed something? Any surgeon would know better than
lie in a group of people! (To many witnesses). But if anyone has an
appointment with a surgeon and you ask them their success rate, or failure
rate, don't expect them to tell you the truth if they are a failure. They
want money. And being board certified does'nt protect you ether if someone
is losey at what they do.
— Danmark
August 4, 2002
I was merely pointing out that if in doubt ask at a support group meeting.
Now certinally everyone will spin things their way but I doubt they would
tell a outright lie n front of a group. In that way we appear to agree.
— bob-haller
August 4, 2002
We agree Bob! ;)
— Danmark
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