I was Just wondering if everyone who goes in to have the Gastric sleeve done has to have pre operative imaging done? Like an x-ray of some sort to see everything before they go in.

Also, I am just beginning this journey and have done quite a bit of research and have a few other questions I can't seem to find.

1) What other pre operative testing is done to make sure you are healthy enough to have surgery, like your heart, liver, etc?

I mean I don't want to go into surgery and have something wrong somewhere else and find out later or during surgery, yanno? Im not sure why this is scary to me, but it is a little.

2) When the stomach is stapled during the procedure, the the staples stay there forever? How does it completely close off like a natural stomach would?

3) When do the highest risks fall off? Meaning is there a certain amount of time after the surgery where your risk for certain things drastically decrease or are you ALWAYS at risk of something happening due to the surgery.

I'll Give an example, A woman delivers her baby vaginally and every few hours they come and check to see if you are bleeding more or hemorrhaging and they say the greatest risk of this happening is within 72 hours, but then after 6 weeks the risk is gone and you no longer have to worry about it really.

Okay sorry for the silly questions. I really couldn't seem to find "sound" answers that settled with me well so figured maybe some of you would know?

Thanks Everyone!

I'm not a doctor, but I've done a lot of research:

Pre Consults may include:

1. A). Cardiac consult that included resting and stress ECG. If needed, an echocardiogram.

. Pulmonary consult that included pulmonary function test, sleep study (for sleep apnea) and a methacholine stress test to R/O asthma.

C). Gastroenterologist Consult, primarily via endoscopy

D). Many lab tests over time that included metabolic panels, and a focus on lipids, liver function, and indications of diabetes

E). Psychologist review to guage whether you will be able to understand and follow your new life requirements

F). Endrochrinologist review of all of the above for 'final clearance'.

Expect additional consults and reviews if you have any particular related medical conditions, like diabetes.

2. The staples remain forever. You can watch the procedure on YouTube, it's pretty cool. There is a way cool tool that does the job. Visualize a pair of scissors with a triple line of stable to BOTH the left and right of the cutter. As the surgeon dissects the stomach, the staples seal off both the (bye bye) stomach and the remaining pouch. SO, no contamination from the gut into the abdominal cavity. After the stomach is removed they may oversew the pouch or use a fibrin glue to seal the pouch

3. The highest risks are over by the time you leave the hospital. The key issue to to avoid leaks. In terms of the long term, remember that the vast majority of your stomach is gone and can never be put back, so there might be a real problem if you were to get stomach cancer at some time in the future. But generally, if you follow the plan and don't "push" the sleeve, I do not know of long term complications from the surgery after the healing period, say 6 weeks or so.

Hope this helps, friend.

I agree w the above poster. I am preop as well, thus far I've had done or am scheduled for...lab work, ekg, xray of chest, first docs visit...all done. Now scheduled, psych eval, nut consult, egd and once that's done, I'm told second doc visit to discuss 2 week diet, then 3rd visit for date. And postop, guess I'll deal w that then. Did u do the wls seminar? If not, write down ur questions so they can answer them w certainty. The doc said, titanium staples so the body won't reject as well as can not be detected at airports or mess up future xrays cuz I questioned him on that. He too said the staple line is strengthened by enuff staples as well as sewing over that line, altho he said the staple line is sufficient alone. Only one doc in their practice uses the sew method too. Hope we helped. But def go to a seminar, altho some find it boring, I found it informative nd interesting, esp since a huge piece of me will b forever gone. Oh nd he said the cutout tummy wud be sent to pathology nvr to b seen again! God Bless Your journey:). Dee Dee

Thank you guys so much! That was very, very informative and a bit comforting I can't wait to begin the journey officialy!!