A patient died after surgery with Dr. Elias Ortiz at A Lighter Me!

[Edavidson 84]

Thank you honey for your response, I was very curious. I don't usually do FB as I am on the computer

for 12 hours a day at work. Have a good evening and I am looking forward to hearing about your

success. On another note, before I go, I have been asked not to reply on anything under the

original posting. It is someone's concern that we are harming the reputation of her physician by

discussing some of the negative issues regarding WLS. So I will keep up with you on another topic

site.

[laguerr13 993]

There are to many factors to take sides and it only creates controversy, on what forum should anything negative or positive be posted, I think and am assuming that any of these posts are here in the States, and one of the best tools we are allowed to utilize is "informed consent" there must be great care taken when posting very negative news but we are adults, and have a right to know, we have come along way since these procedures started and will probably be considered barbaric in another 20yrs, when I researched I was stunned to learned the stats of all the negative things from this surgery, approximately 3% due to bad surgeons, 12% from unforeseen complications ( sedation, heart, etc) and a staggering 85% from people who never intended to follow through with the guidelines, I can't take sides, it will only cause people to respond from both sides, but I would recommend anyone considering this to look at the surgeon's success rate, and use the word of mouth recommendations from other patients, better to be cautious than blind

Edited July 9, 2015 by laguerr13

[chunkycharlie 26]

@@SuninVirgo

The risk of heart attack is highest upon given anesthesia as it can raise the blood pressure significantly. Again, it depends on the health of the person before surgery. Many obese people are literally dangling off of a cliff health-wise and may simply not realize such.

However, knowing that one simply can not hold natural deaths like a heart attack against a doctor this news would not cause me to change my mind. What would change my mind is the experience level. I want a doctor who has performed thousands of gastric sleeve surgeries, not someone who is just starting out.

Not to be rude but curious where you got your information about anesthesia raising the blood pressure?

I have been an LPN for 11 years and now a RN,BSN....as far as I know anesthesia drops the blood pressure and sometimes too low. I could be wrong but that is why I'm asking.

Even though I have been a nurse for many years , this is all new teratory for me and I am terribly nervous.

[Seagull 140]

Death is always a possibility, with all surgeries.

Death (sooner) is always a possibility, without getting this surgery

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[inner💜beauty💜 11]

I am definitely nervous to go to him now in August. I have been light weight stalking his internet pages, trying to dig up every article/ procedure he has done. I know it won't effect the outcomes of my surgery but looking into his articles and you tube videos let me know that he's smart at least and his English is pretty darn good.

[Sandy Johnson 15]

I know the artical you saw. That is either from someone who is mistaken or is confusing our Dr Ortiz with someone else.

Thank you!

Sandy Johnston

Owner and CEO of ALM

[maggieO 33]

I will be going to Dr. Ortiz on April 28th. I have researched him a great deal as well as others in Mexico and spoken with a couple of people who he sleeved.

[goldndiamondzboy 4]

beauty[emoji171]" userid="316420"] I am definitely nervous to go to him now in August. I have been light weight stalking his internet pages, trying to dig up every article/ procedure he has done. I know it won't effect the outcomes of my surgery but looking into his articles and you tube videos let me know that he's smart at least and his English is pretty darn good.

If it's Ortiz through OCC, then it's not the same surgeon. They just have similar names.

[Alex Brecher 10,486]

36 minutes ago, goldndiamondzboy said:

If it's Ortiz through OCC, then it's not the same surgeon. They just have similar names.

There are two Dr. Ortiz's that perform Bariatric surgery in Tijuana. There's Dr. Ariel Ortiz from OCC and there's Dr. Elias Ortiz at A Lighter me. Dr. Elias Ortiz at A Lighter me is the surgeon that had the patient death that this topic is referring to.

[goldndiamondzboy 4]

What is problematic, is that since the co-morbidities exist, we have a higher likelihood of potential life-threatening problems arising during or post, surgery. The issue I personally have is that a higher risk patient needs a higher risk facility. Outpatient surgeries be they in or out of this country, are too often dictated by cost rather than by patient risk. That is what has to change and that is why people must do their homework before choosing a facility and surgeon. It doesn't matter if you save money if that money goes to your funeral expenses.
Surgery is not something to take lightly.

Those with quality concerns can pay a higher price and go with a place like Obesity Control Center. They are accredited by The Joint Commission International - the same accreditation agency that regulates U.S. hospitals. That's not a small undertaking - there are unannounced inspections annually that cover a 2-in manual's worth of rules, including extensive quality and infection control standards, and the regular collection and analysis of quality data, e.g, complication and mortality rates. OCC was also designated a Bariatric Center of Excellence by the accrediting agency Surgical Review, which has its own education, qualification and on-site inspection process. It's not about the location, it's about the standards for performance excellence that the physicians, nurses, and even environmental services staff, set for themselves to achieve AND have externally validated.

[Sandy Johnson 15]

I don't know who authored this article, but it is false! Many times people post false information in order to sway patients to their doctors.

Has Dr Elias Ortiz ever had a death? Yes! Any doctor that has done thousands of surgeries on high risk patients has had a death or two and complications. If they claim to have no deaths or complications THEY ARE LYING! It's impossible!

The difference is that ALM is an open book! We don't lie or try to cover up anything.

[Alex Brecher 10,486]

5 hours ago, Sandy Johnson said:

I don't know who authored this article, but it is false! Many times people post false information in order to sway patients to their doctors.

Has Dr Elias Ortiz ever had a death? Yes! Any doctor that has done thousands of surgeries on high risk patients has had a death or two and complications. If they claim to have no deaths or complications THEY ARE LYING! It's impossible!

The difference is that ALM is an open book! We don't lie or try to cover up anything.

Sandy,

The initial post is 100% accurate. Dr. Elias Ortiz from ALM (your company) did have a patient death when this was posted. You personally confirmed the death of this patient to me via email:

I agree that most Bariatric surgeons have had deaths. Not all bariatric surgeons have had deaths though. Not having a death makes a great (and lucky) surgeon, not a liar.

[Sandy Johnson 15]

I felt this post was represented that this was a recent event. As you can see from my email this occurred a year ago. I don't want anyone to think this was recent and to me it looks like he had another and recent death.

I stand by my comment that any surgeon that has done thousands of surgeries has had complications and deaths.

I've been in this business in TJ going on 15 years and I personally know some doctors/companies that are making these claims. They clearly state that they have done sometimes many thousands of surgeries. If you look at the ASMBS site the stats are right there.

I agree that the great surgeons have less complications and deaths. But to claim many years of experience and claim to have done, for instance, 5000 surgeries with no deaths or complications is pretty hard to believe. I also know there are surgeons that will only do low BMI,s and healthier patients so they can make the money without helping the patients that desperately need help!

Dr Elias Ortiz has done patients with BMI's as high as more than 80. He also does patients with more serious co-morbidities. Different precautions need to be taken and additional treatments may be nessesary but if he and the critical care doctor feel it's safe to proceed and all the risks have been communicated to the patient, he will perform the surgery.

Thanks for letting me explain

Sandy

[Alex Brecher 10,486]

On 4/5/2017 at 4:52 PM, Sandy Johnson said:

I stand by my comment that any surgeon that has done thousands of surgeries has had complications and deaths.

I respectfully disagree. There are a handful of amazing surgeons that have never had a patient death or multiple patient deaths.

[Sandy Johnson 15]

I also respectfully disagree. I invite you to name even 2 surgeons that have performed at least 2000 surgeries and have been performing surgeries for at least 4 years that are free of deaths and complications.