I am scheduled to start my program June 28th at Mercy Medical Center, Springfield MA, the surgeon is Dr. Kasper, he hasn't done any Lap-bands yet, but hundreds of gastric by-passes. I already have all my referals and everything set up with this program, but when I found this out I must say I was scared!! What should I do???? Kristin:help:

There is no way I would want to be the FIRST. Is he/she going to be doing the surgery assisted my someone who knows what they are doing... as in EXPERIENCED in lap banding? I'd want a LOT more info. before I went into surgery with this MD. YIKES!

Yep, I would check his credentials better, how many has he assisted with, I would not be his first and I dont care how many he has helped with, I know there has to be a first but you dont want to be his LAST either. I would get a Doc who has done these before and is grt at it, keep chking

Look on the bright side....he will probably never pay any more attention or be more careful than with his first.

Just a thought.

PLEASE be careful! Nothing against your surgeon, but common sense says practice makes perfect. I am now going through a painful process of trying to get my insurance to approve of me having a lap band revision surgery due to slippage. I attribute much of the problem with the surgeon who did my lap. He had done a ton of gastric bypasses, which are much mor complicated, but the stitching technique of the lap band has recently been perfected to prevent slippage. Slippage is a HUGE problem many lap banders go through in year 2 or so.... Can you look for another surgeon in your area, even if you have to drive a way, that has done MANY lap bands, and knows about the new stitching techniques? My advice would be to look further. You only have one life and many time only one surgery, as many insurance companies are giving us hassels about revisions. Unless you are wealthy, and can afford a revision, I would listen to that gut God gave you and look further. good luck! Bullit 143

I was my doctor's first lapband and I'm still kicking, and that was a year and a half ago. My doctor had a proctor assist, so I had two for the price of one. Practice also makes one over confident at times too, JMO, eitherway, I'm sure you'll be fine.

I'm sure if I there had been a choice I would have selected the more experienced, but I didn't have that choice and I have no regrets.

See if he's going to have someone assist, I would certainly think it would be required by Inamed.

Tommygirl, I definetly would check out other places. I know you said your referalls are all set and everything, but your well being is more important. If that means starting over then it might be worth it to wait. I'm in the Hartford Ct. area and I'm going to Dr. Barba in hartford at St. Francis hospital, and I know that he's done at least a thousand lapband proceedures.He's been doing it for many years including GB. I know people who have had him for both procedures , and they had no problems. Your best bet is to go with someone who has lots of experience, and find out what others say about him or her.If your insurance covers other states or if you are self pay, then check out Dr. barba. Hartford and Springfield are not that far away from eachother.

My team have done more combined and are both world famous.

Dr. Christine Ren and Dr. George Fielding who has a band himself. He is a very famous Aussie band doc too and a doll.

They have done over 5000 bands together. They have lots of patients from CT too. I am over 1.5 hours away too.

check out:

www.nyuweightloss.org

and see for yourself.

They are a fabulous team and repair many other surgeon's mistakes in the tri-state area too like me!!!!

You can also call Don Mills at Allergan (formerly Inamed) who will tell you NOT to be the first patient. He got me to this team from my original surgeon who had done over 100 but still placed my band in the wrong position etc.

Surgeons have to be proctored by someone through Inamed. So I wouldn't worry to much about it. I think it will be the best one he does. :confused:

You doctor would NEVER do it if he was not confident that he was not qualified. They are SCARED of being sued..... Do NOT worry about this. However, you could always make an agreement with him that he will repair andything that goes wrong for FREE since you are willing to be the first...... The ball is in your court....... Go for it. It does not take a brain surgeon to do this........ He is more than qualified i am sure..... I am a RN. I know the way doctors think..........BTW.... Make him do it at what your insurance is willing to pay with no out of pocket from you......

good luck........ don't worry.

Sorry folks but many of the "cheerleaders" are being quite naive about a surgeon's lack of experience.

With the initial surgery, just a simple nick can lead to many complications including erosion. This has been documented in many papers check the

internet. The surgeon can damage the diaphragm too and some bandsters who have subsequently been unbanded have had left shoulder pain for over a year. Pain so debilitating that they had to have their bands removed. These were patients who were the 1st -10th and even had their bands repositioned by other surgeons. These were patients who were banded in the USA by surgeons proctored by the manufacturer which is no guarantee of the expertise of the surgeon.

If you are in "Timbucktoo", and have no other options I would do some more research. Erosion and other complications often do not present until after a year of banding.

You are in CT which is accessible to many hospitals and famous LapBand surgeons too. I would continue to check other places out.

You are the best advocate for yourself. It is your body and you want a successful band journey.

I have been banded for over 3 years and am basically at goal wearing a size 8. I will not need PS either because I exercise daily and I am not spring chicken either. I feel and look fabulous but since I am in the closet with this device I post no photos anywhere or rarely post. I am a lurker on several sites but only chime in when I actually have some facts and not just an opinion about the band. I have a VG band after my 4cc band was removed two years ago when I had a BMI of 29.

This will be the last time I post about this issue. I am not trying to get anyone's "bowels in an uproar" either. :confused:

Good luck with your research and you can PM me anytime.

I understand that you are nervous about this doctor. If he is experienced in Gastric bypass surgery then this is not an uncommon ground for him. I also think that he will pay extra attention because it is his first case. However, I do not think that this is really his" first time." I am sure that he was trained and assisted several lap band placements. It is not like any doctor can just decide to do lapband out of the blue, he must have credentials. Just because someone is inexperienced or experienced does not guarentee things will go as planned. Talk to your doctor about your concerns before you jump ship. Somebody had to be the first patient for all of our doctors. Good Luck:>

I will say again. I have been an RN for 15 years. You will be fine........ Go ahead as planned. Quit reading this thread.......... Too much confusing info..... email me privately and we can talk over the phone..... Okay??

If complications arised during surgery (and they sometimes do, regardless of the type of surgery) NOW picture the patient as YOUR CHILD...who would you want handling it? A surgeon who was doing this type of surgery for the first time or an old pro?

Just my two cents

P.S. -Isn't boston in MA, is Boston one the countries Medical Meccas?

Typically the reason a problem arises in surgery is due to anesthesia problems. The surgeon is NOT the one who needs to be skilled in that case...... In that case, you better go to every person that touches you on surgery day and grill them about when and where they got their degrees and how many times they have done this surgery.

YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.

All surgeons have to get experience some where, and Inmed will proctor the surgery. I was my docs 13th patient and I have had absolutely NO problems at all, its not as if its the first surgery your MD has done, just the first of this type.

No one is being a "cheerleader" but people tried to scare me away from my doc as well (including another MD here on LBT) telling me that the risks were higher etc. But I have had nothing but the BEST experience. It's in the doctors best interest to do things right.

In addition to that, I think if you check the complications section, you will find people who had problems with surgeons who have done thousands of these. It's not about how many he's done, but rather the doc himself. If you are confident and comfortable with him I say go for it!