Maybe I wasn't listening well enough to my surgeon, but can someone remind me how the stomach is sutured back together after they remove the part that comes out? Stomach itself, not the incisions where the trocars are inserted.

I think each surgeon may have their own technique, but mine staples the remaining stomach and then sews over the staples to ensure closure. I hope that helps.

Are you talking about the staples? I watched the entire procedure on youtube here

(this isn't a computer generated video, this is a camera that shows the EXACT procedure so if you have a stomach that is squeamish I suggest not watching it) hope this helps and is what you are after.

Thanks. So the staples stay in forever? My mom was asking these questions today and I had no answer.

Yep they do your stomach will heal over them.

college chick, thanks for positing the vid. Never saw that before. So that's how its done! I was happy to see the larger part of the stomach go. A little stomach is all I need.. lol

You are very welcome. Before I decided on the sleeve I watched as many actual procedures as I could. Not only so I know what will happen, but because I know there are variances from surgeon to surgeon. I also wanted to make sure I could see myself getting the procedure done :-) tomorrow is my psych eval and then everything should be sent off to the insurance :-)

Can your body reject the staples or not heal properly?

They are a non reactive metal (titanium) so it's pretty unlikely

Thanks Laura! I'm just freaking out...just a little!

That's understandable! We all did a freaked a little in the deciding phase! I think that if you do chose a procedure you are on the right track with the sleeve over the band ( I saw some if your earlier posts) personally I think it's a matter of time before they take the band off the market!

Oh, by the way in the beginning I thought I wanted the band. I am thankful for the wealth of information out there that helped me decide!

I think the band is really only a good solution for low BMI people (30-35) who can use it more as a speed bump for their eating and develop better habits. The weight loss from it is about 40% EWL in some studies which would bring people in that range into a healthy body weight.

At higher weights, my opinion is that there are physiological changes to the body and the hunger/satiation feedback loupe that cause or contribute to obesity that the band cannot address and that is why the "failure" rate is so much higher in high BMI folks (> 35).

That is a very good point and one I haven't put much thought into... I was going off I the rate of complications and band removal alone.

Yesh, a 25% removal rate is pretty bad and the literature would have a 40% EWL as a failure as well. I don't think it is a good option for us big people. If they don't take it off the market, I wouldn't be surprised if they make official for only low BMIs. Most surgeons are steering people away from it.

I totally agree with you. I was mostly trying to add to your post.

It was a very good add! Information is key here!

Thanks ladies! I originally thought the band but, I'm really leaning towards the sleeve.