I am curious if anybody ended up having to be opened up for surgery because the could not perform it laparocopic?

Booda,

I've been reading several boards for more than a year and though I've heard many people say their doctors advised them they were at particular risk for having to have the surgery converted to open, I've only heard of one person who actually had to be converted. Some surgeons will not convert and will just not place the band (which is super rare too).

Per my doctor, there's just not much of a chance of conversion to open with an experienced laparoscopic surgeon, particularly if you're not in the super, super obese category (i.e. BMI < 70).