Complications

Hi Kaili,
I've done a bit of a surf and the surgeon who will eventually be doing my sleeve on thursday next week so I will confirm with him but I do recall him saying that there is the possibility of the sleeve kinking or folding, only if the sleeve is made too narrow. I can't find my notes that I scrawled down as he was talking but I think he does his to a 34 which is about the width of a garden hose.

From what I found on the www the risk of it happening is pretty minor, but I'll still ask when I see Dr Thomas on thursday when he does my endoscopy.

I am yet to hear about any problems occuring beyond a leak. BUT of course there are lots of everyday surgical mishaps out there and having a sleeve doesn't make you imune to them. They are the same risks as say having your apendix out. Even something as simple as a laproscopic look at your girly bits carries risks. I had them perferate my small intestine and nearly kill me when I was 18 as they could not control the bleeding and I ended up with a scar from my belly button all the way down. NOW I would not list this as a risk of having your girly bits checked but as a general surgery risk. Did that make sense ? Same things happen when a surgeon goes in for your apendix some times other things gets nicked or a blood vessel or organ is not how it should be and the surgeon encounters an abnomaily that may get in the way. These again I would not class as sleeve complications as such but general surgical complications. I DO tho think any surgeon should explain quiet a few of those, mine certainly did. Accidental damage to the liver being among the highest general thing that can happen with laproscopic surgery when they put the laproscope in. The liver tends to be the thing most likely to get hit. Things we would worry about more like perferating the new stomach tend to be something that happens with a band not a sleeve. To me that sounds rather odd and I am not sure if that is because of the number of bands done or the say it is sutured into place.
This is surgery people, all surgery carries risks, please if I have at all lead anybody to belive the ONLY risk is a leak I am so sorry. General surgical risks apply like any other surgery. You should take that into consideration before surgery. But to put it into perspective the general surgical risks are about the same as a band.

applesauce

Kaili bugger, I completely forgot to ask my surgeon last week about that. Hopefully someone else will ask their surgeon.

Anyone seeing their surgeon soon?

Cinni

Did anyone get any further information about the kinking/folding? :)

Just wandered if there are complications after initial 1st post op week?

My neighbour had the complication where it bled from the staple line during the op. She was very ill and had her spleen removed, blood transfusions and has some liver or kidney damage i think.
Shes now 10 months post-op and says its the best thing shes ever done !! Shes lost nearly all her extra weight - 40 kilos and feels fantastic.
Catherine

Is it possible to actually damage tiny tum? Have seen reference to leaks up to 2 weeks post-op- how would this occur after the initial few days does anyone know?

I will definitely be putting this on my list of questions for the surgeon next week. Maybe he will know, I think he did some training in the States. :)

I do not have time tonight to have a look, unless it is an aussie site then I would say that it is close to zero as most of the info out there is stuff done in the US which is meant to be quiet different from here. I was warned about some weird and wonderful things from my surgeon seeing I was not warned about this makes me think very rare or unheard of here in au. Maybe because they use those strips of staples ?

applesauce

Wow Cinni, I have never ever heard of that!!!
Thats different, but I will remember that.
Hayley

that's a cheery thought! must be rare as not heard of it before!

No, haven't come across that one before, and isn't something my doc mentioned either.
Best to ask your doc, though.
Chris

Just doing some more research on the sleeve and came across this.

Quote :

Risks of the Gastric Sleeve
During the surgery, the surgeon creates a long tubular stomach pouch. The entire side of that pouch is a staple line or "seam" which can potentially leak or bleed. It is also possible for the narrow pouch to kink or fold, or become blocked in some other way because it is quite narrow.

Anyone heard of this happening?

I still think it is very rare but worth knowing before heading into surgery.

edited to add website source:
http://www.sabariatric.com/about_surgery/sleeve_gastrectomy

Cinni

Denise yes for a sleeve it is the leak. with ALL surgeries there are risks of infection blood clots and dozens of other complications as such. Basicly the same risks you face having your apendix or tonsiles out. Your surgeon will run though all those with you as well. It would be a pretty useless place if we could not try to answer questions hehehe Never to many questions just ask away :)

applesauce

So the major thing is a leak and it will probably be evident when you're in hospital.

What about infections along the staple line or is that not a problem?

I watched a youtube video of the operation last night - ohmigod. I emailed to my dad he was probably chucking up, he hates blood and guts. I emailed him the story on Warren Mead too, who he knows through rugby and business circles I think he might give him a bit of a grilling on the surgery.

Hey Applesauce I am in Perth, I'll probably have to get into the clothing swap when I decide to have the surgery or not. I got a heap of clothes made in Phuket when I was there and they are for summer. I'll be a bit miffed if I can't wear any of them if they don't fit, I've already lost 5kg (haven't been on the scales lately) since I got back in late June. Thanks for the offer of the clothing swap I'll let you know when I need it.

Thanks everyone for answering my questions, even though you may have answered and heard them all a million times.

the statistic's say that the 1% is someone else .........

Thats not a high percentage, but can't help thinking someone has got to be that 1 person out of every 100 if you know what I mean.

I did read somewhere the statistics of a leak and it was something like 1%

ok .not nice but some sings are , and they happen almpst as soon as leak has occured. are
stomach bloating and going hard , pain and lots of it . rush and I mean rush to hospital . don't wait over night as . well not a good out come.
not to get a leak other than Dr's mistakes. Are stick to post op diet, try not to throw up also in 1st couple of weeks . Stomach can take up to 3 months to heal completely so small meals and lots of water. just as your post op diet says.
Leaks are not common and rarely occur . So Dr must tell you everything that can go wrong , like blood clots etc.

Kiwi - there are no stupid questions!
No, I don't know the signs, but I do know that if it happens you get very sick, so you won't miss it.
I have heard second hand of someone who had that problem in Perth, but no-one I've 'spoken' to on the forum on on the other 2 groups that I'm on has had a leak, so chances of it happening are really small.
I'm sure you could find out more by googling it though.
Hope this helps.
Chris :afro:

Thanks Chris, I thought it was at its highest risk within a few days of surgery but not sure where I got that information from. Stupid question but how do you know if it happens. Are there signs to look for?

Hey, Kiwi, I can answer that because I asked my doc the exact same thing.
A leak will only happen in the first few weeks after surgery, and is a rare complication. It is serious, though. My doc had never seen one, and he's been doing sleeves for nearly 4 years now.
Chris :afro:

Applesauce, can you tell me when the risk of a leak is no longer an issue. like are you most at risk straight after surgery or is a leak an on going risk that could occur months or even years down the track?

OH Denise just move to Perth then and get in with the clothing swap hehehehe


applesauce

I know of one huge complication...

A dent in my wallet when I have to start buying new clothes :affraid: