I am fixing to have lap band surgery, I have heard some good news about my dr. and some bad news. Bad news was six deaths, which I was told to get his license and look on the interent, also local site for where I am at a woman was asking anyone from our area if they had complications from this doctor to email her, she is having complications.....I want this surgery so bad, but now I am so very leary......what do I do

Six deaths from LAP bands??? That would be worrisome. Six deaths from any WLS is significant but especially the band because the death rate is what? 0.1% or something like that? So he'd have to do... lemme think.... okay so I can't do math but he would have had to have done a LOT of surgeries in order to have an 'average' death rate like that.

I'd definitely check with your local medical board and see if there are any complaints against him. I'm not sure that the licensing thing would show number of deaths, but they would show complaints that have been under investigation (and presumably if someone dies their family will investigate -- I hope?)

I wonder how you can find out the real death rate of a surgeon?

Yikes? One doctor/six deaths? Wowzer. That is definitely not a good ratio, considering how safe the lapband procedure is and should be. I would definitely seek someone with a better record. Good luck to you!

I wasn't aware there was more than 6 deaths in all the lapband surgeries combined. :eek

Can you find out more details? Did he have six LapBand deaths? That would be news to all of us. Or did he have six deaths doing bypass or something? Either way, I personally would not go to him. You could still get banded, just not with him.

Nancy

Please check out everything that you can about any surgeon that you plan on using before you even schedule your surgery....his banding experience (how long, how many, complications?), his aftercare, his office staff, the hospital (it's rating),etc. Anything you can think of - check it out. If you're uncomfortable with him now, please research and get some facts. You have to look out for yourself.

This is a support forum and we aren't financed by any surgeons or fill doctors. We share factual information (good and bad) to help each other. Please come back here and post what true findings you uncover. Best of luck to you!

I am so UPSET!!!!!

First of all, midniteblue, thank you for giving us a heads-up on things. The surgeon that she is talking about here (these rumors) is the one that banded me, Dr Spiegel. Without getting into many details, I started doing some research and found out that there IS a rumor going around about these deaths! I did not get a correct number, but 6 deaths is close. I am very upset right now. Supposedly the deaths have occured in different situations, some right after the surgery, some later. Ive already talked to Kelly (kellymoos) this morning, she is enroute to Houston to see Spivak.

What do I do??? Should I go to another surgeon and get my band checked immediately????

By the way, I just called his office and his staff is denying any of this.

Paula, are you having any band-related problems right now? Probably everything is fine. Please don't panic!

Do you know for a fact this surgeon has had deaths occur -related to the lapband? When did these deaths happen? During the initial banding surgery? Afterwards? Really, if you know actual facts, please post them so we don't start a panic.

We certainly want to inform and warn Bandsters. But we want to be sure that we are posting facts and not rumors.

Paula - I bet everything is just fine, but if it was me, I would go get checked out just for peace of mind. You will want to find a different doctor anyway, so you might just as well go in and do it all at once. I am sorry you are going through all this, and I know right now you are scared to death. Take a big deep breath and relax a little, then call and make an appointment with a different doctor.

{{{{{{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

It's pretty hard to see another Dr. but Paula, don't panic. You're doing okay, right? These deaths could have been on the table, or afterward due to patient non-compliance. Somewhere these have had to be reported so eventually, we'll learn what actually happened. As long as you're feeling well and have no pain or symptoms, I'm sure you're okay for now. If you can get Spivak to see you. It might worth peace of mind to have him do a flouro/upper GI to make sure everything is where it belongs. (((PAULA))).

Paula, how do you know it is the same Dr.? Midniteblue does not give a name of a Dr. in her post.

Michelle she named him in another post.

Thanks Leatha and Paula! I too would like to know the details on what actually caused these deaths. I think it is very important to everyone to have any kind of information and share what they know. I certainly don't want to start any rumors either, but when it is the truth, we need to let people know.

Yes, please get the facts and post them here to clear this up. I spoke directly with Dr. Spivak's office today. They quite clearly stated that Dr. Spivak and Dr. Spiegel are NOT going into practice together. Both doctors will be working out of the same facility in Houston. They do not know what Dr. Spiegel's plans are as far as other locations.

Thanks Leatha!

I called her (Leatha)today and explained what I knew. It wouldve taken me hours to say just what she has said.

I would LOVE for all of this to be a rumor and not true. So if anyone knows facts of something different, PLEASE set us straight!

I have deleted the post I created pending further facts around the matter. I still believe anyone who is contemplating this doctor should ask directly how many deaths he has had in the past and what the circumstances were that caused them. I would say this is a pertinent question to any potential surgeon.

I so agree Leatha... my surgeon gave us his exact numbers for complications and or death with the gastric bypass and for the Lapband and also discussed what happened with each case. This infomation was provided at his seminar and without questions prompting him to do so. He was extremely direct and didn't sugar coat the risks for either procedure.