I had to have my port replaced last year due to a leak in the tubing (was punctured during a fill) and I'm wondering how common this problem is.

Please answer the poll and discuss!

I really dont know of any lawsuits here in the UK regarding faulty bands Wolf, but I am sure going ahead with my case if possible. When my solicitor confirms if they will take my case on as a 'no win no fee' against the manufacturer.

I feel that because the band is faulty then they should pay for the surgery to remove it and then maybe when they have examined it and it is proven that its not their fault, then ask me for the money back, if it was my fault or the fault of the surgeon ( which i doubt).

So I will keep you posted about this. But you know how long lawyers take to make decisions dontcha.

Stay happy, you still have your life.

Thanks again Freckles..The lawsuits I'm looking for hopefully I could find online to help strengthen my case.I do wish you luck and if you have the time just file a claim with the suspected persons insurance Company for an out of court settlement.Thats what I'm doing and its so much quicker then a law-suit I assure you.4 months versus 2 years plus.I also think that you are entitled to some cash compensation above the medical expense.I am afraid now to be rebanded so am looking into alternatives.I am amazed that I am not gaining weight now and I eat like a pig again''lol" Thanks again Wolf

Edited January 9, 200917 yr by Ironwolf1
misplaced word

I had to have my port replaced last year due to a leak in the tubing (was punctured during a fill) and I'm wondering how common this problem is.

Please answer the poll and discuss!

I had my tubing replaced in November 2008. I had several fills and still kept eating. Eventually I had stomach cramps and it was discovered fluid was leaking into the skin.

I had my tubing replaced in November 2008. I had several fills and still kept eating. Eventually I had stomach cramps and it was discovered fluid was leaking into the skin.

Not nice to leave us all hanging Janet..LOL So what happened? How are you doing now? I myself almost died from a leak that caused severe infection..I'm wondering if the saline fluid can cause infection if leaked into the body cavity or skin? I was a mess and eventually had to have band removed.Now I feel like I'm back to square one.It was so much fun when losing all that weight.Dernit..Appreciate anyones imput regarding this subject..Thanks Wolf

Surgeon did an ultrasound to check where fluid was going and then operated to remove accessport and tubing. Band is working fine now. Fluid can cause an infection, but if it does not permeate into the abdominal cavity it is not so bad.

Hi guys! My name is trina and i had to get my port replaced the monday after Christmas!!! My doc figured it out about 2 weeks prior to this. I had switched docs in oct because i had major probs with my previous one. I had surg in june and i had only lost about 15# since in oct. I was walking 3 mi a least 4days a week and told him that if i did not exercise almost daily, that i would not loose any weight. He didn't agree, basically saying that i was lying about exercising.So, to make a long story short, i changed docs. Now before i changed docs, my fills would be horrible. The very first fill, he got it with 2 sticks. Everytime after that it always took 6,7,8 times and then i would have bloody stools the next 2 days!! EVERYTIME!. When i told him about this of course i was lying. So when i changed docs, the new one would have me sit up to do my fill which was diff! I should have had 6cc upon changing and it was barely 3cc's in my band:confused:! so he took it all out and added 1cc so i had 4. My restriction was never great before so this was new to me. After 2 weeks no restrict. went back he added 2more cc, had great restrict. went back about 5 weeks later, the beginning of dec, with poor weight loss and not good restrict. he tried filling it slowly and too much restrict, he loosed it and i began to drink water as he SLOWLY filled it and still no restrict! WTH!!! That's how he found my leak! so when i had surg he said my port was so beat up, that the saline or sterile water would just leak right back out!:eek:! So basically i feel like i had wasted 7 months with only 42# lost with me working my ass off with a foreign piece in my body that hasn'teven work for me ! So now, it's like im starting over from the beginning again. I hope this time it works. I did not have to pay anything for the replacement of my port but damn!! Thanks for listening:biggrin:

Did you have to pay for your port replacement? My doc trashed my port too, and now wants $3,000 to replace it. Just can't do it right now, the budget is already thin with a kid in college etc... I can totally relate to the useless piece of "plastic" in my belly. Sue

Did you have to pay for your port replacement? My doc trashed my port too, and now wants $3,000 to replace it. Just can't do it right now, the budget is already thin with a kid in college etc... I can totally relate to the useless piece of "plastic" in my belly. Sue

GOsh, I guess I was VERY lucky. When my surgeon found that my band had a leak in the tubing, he replaced it free of charge...

As is was their fault it got punctured.

I just had my second fill today. My first fill was a little rough, I could hear a tapping sound as the needle hit the edges of the port. He did get it after a few pokes and put 2.5 cc in. Today there was only 1.5 in there. He said this happens sometimes but that they will monitor me closly at my next visit to make sure that I am still at the 4.5cc they put me at today. He said if there is not 4.5 in 5 weeks when I go back, there may be a leak. He led me to believe that a leak was rare, and its possible to "lose fill". After reading al 13 pages from all of you I am really freaking out now. It seems like leaking tubing/ports is much more common than I ever though. DH thought band surgery was a mistake and that I sould have chosen by-pass, and now to possibly have a leak less than 90 days post surgery. Uggg!!!

after months of no restriction and losing cc's my dr. replaced my port and found a whole in the tubing. Probably from the 1st fill. I was stuck at high as 30 times per fill. I even had to go to the hospital to get a fill under flouro. I had insurance coverage for the initial banding, but with a job change my spouses insurance didn't cover. Now I have many bills to pay......Shouldn't the Dr. be responsible for this, I didn't puncture the tubing?

I can so relate to you....I have had everything happen that can and yesterday I was told that my port flipped again! In three years I have had 4 surgeries.....I am not a candidate for Roux n Y and am terrified to gain back 100 pounds...I understand how your feeling, do we leave the thing inside and find out we have some wierd infection from that in the future? They are scheduling my surgery now and my family and friends think I'm nuts!

Yes he should...I was stuck between 40 and 50 times Friday. In the office and then under Flouro....I have had 4 surgeries to replace ports and tubing...I know that the Dr. had to stick the tubing...How could he no?

They are scheduling another surgery now...I told him that my husband lost his job and my insurance was only good for two days...He acted like..no problem...this was just maintance...no charge...We will see unh?

I haven't posted in a LONG time but I think my tubing might have been punctured AGAIN!!!! I went for a fill yesterday, I had some restriction before but have been going in every month for a fill, then unfill, losing and gaining the same 10 lbs each time, having horrible reflux that would wake me up choking and vomiting. I would go in and get fluid taken out and have bad heartburn (?) pain and the reflux would stop but I could eat anything and everything. I feel like a yoyo. I am so frustrated. I had to have my port/tubing replaced in Aug 08 because of a puncture and that was a nightmare - not so much physically but financially and emotionally. And so yesterday I go in for another fill and today I can eat anything and it's Deja-vu. I'm praying this is not happening to me again. What do I do? I've had my band for almost 3 years and this past year I have really been regretting it. I don't want to gain the weight back again. How do I even go back to the Dr.s office again - I HATE going in there and I feel like they probably feel the same about me.

Sorry for the long rant - I really need to vent!!!

Hello I know what you mean. I immediately told my doctor that I could eat more and they questioned if I was eating correctly. Then the surgeon decided i needed a port revision. I had that and then it did not work. I am expected to pay for something that did not work. I am not unemployed and no insurance. I still owe for the port revision. I have scheduled an appointment with the lead surgeon in the office to ask how it is that I was told to have a port revision and as I did that it did not change anything and then the surgeon said i need a new band all together. I keep seeing it as if I purchased a car and when I went to pick it up it did not work and then they looked at me and said we can sell you another one for the price of $$. Hell what about what I just paid for that is not working. So, I can understand your ranting. Can I ask you if you are self pay and what all was done for you when you got the port change? was the tubing changed also. I got my band April 2005. I lost 85lbs before noticing that I was able to eat more. Then it took several scope and xrays, that cost money, before saying the port needed changing. Then there were more scopes and more dyes and then a pat on my shoulder saying I want to take more of your money with no guarantees. Have thought about getting any legal advice. I just want to be back to losing. I have almost gained all my weight back and it is a mental let down. Please let me know do you feel I will get anywhere from seeing another surgeon. I was instructed to do so by the director of a bariatric department at a hospital where I live. I am just so frustrated.

Doesn't it make you want to scream. I am a self pay (approx $18,000). When I had the port/tubing replacement the Dr. admitted the tubing was punctured and his office did not charge but all the other bills I received were almost $10,000. I was able to get financial aid from the hospital and the Dr paid the anesthesiologist (after much fussing on my part) I felt I shouldn't have had to pay a dime - I didn't punture the tube! I was told that was a risk you take but I absolutely don't agree. And if there is another leak I don't even know how to handle this! I want to be back to losing too. I have gained at least 25 lbs since first having problems with my band - it took almost 2 months of me going in EVERY week saying something is not right for him to figure out the leak. I would like to go to another Dr but if there is another leak I can't afford to pay another Dr to fix this ones problem.