i currently have the lapband. i am having a revision surgery june 15 to have the band removed and the sleeve done.

i'm just curious as to how common leaks are and what causes them. are most sleeve patients usually problem free?

what about patients going from the band to the sleeve? are they at higher risk for problems? should i get my band completely unfilled before my surgery to give my stomach time to relax?

or will my previcid that i'm taking help with that?

Edited May 17, 201016 yr by mommytoethan
another question

The answers to these questions are dependent on surgeon experience. These are good questions and you should ask these of your surgeon. In general, leak rates with the sleeve occur from less than 1% up to 5%. Thay may also be more common in reoperations such as band removals. The only thing a patient can do to help avoid leaks is to stay on liquids for 2-3 weeks after surgery. The rest is dependent on technique and tissue quality.