Hello, I am the wife of a lap-band patient. My husband had his procedure done several months ago, and one day later died at home. It turns out his stomach was punctured by the laprascope during surgery. This error was not detected until an autopsy was performed. Even tho we went to a very reputable surgeon, this is a risk of laproscopic surgery. Some surgeons will perform a barium swallow test after surgery as an extra precaution to make sure everything has gone well. If this test had been done on my husband directly after his surgery he would be alive today.

PLEASE, if you are considering lap-band surgery be sure to discuss this extra test with your surgeon. Even if the barium swallow increases the cost of the surgery IT IS WELL WORTH IT.

oh my goodness. i am soooo sorry to hear about your loss. take care and thank you for the suggestion.

Oh, boy, I'm so sorry.

I thought barium swallows were standard?

I'm very sorry to hear about your husband. I also thought it was a standard test.

Oh God Bless you Honey I am so sorry to hear about your husband

I am sorry to hear of your husband's death.

Ladies, it is a standard test, in Australia. I am not sure about the rest of the world.

Dear Derry,

I am very sorry for the tragic loss of your husband, and commend you for encouraging other Lap Band patients to make sure that all the proper tests are done after surgery to prevent something like this from happening again .

I am not qualified to speak about standard practices with respect to this surgery, but I do know that I had this test done on the morning after my surgery, before I was released from the hospital.

Banded 8/07/07 Dr. Miguel Zapata, Monterrey Mexico

I did not have one, asked for it before i left and they looked at me like I had horns suddenly appear from my head. Of course the language barrier didn't help either. I'm so thankful to be alive!

Thank you for the warning. If I ever have another surgery like this again i will insist before hand

I am so sorry for your loss. I also thought this was a standard test. Glad i had it done. Donna

I am so sorry for your loss. I can only imagine the pain and sorrow you are experiencing. Thank you for posting your experience and letting others know.

I also had an abcess in my stomach. I was told it could have either been from a puncture wound during the original surgery or subsequently a stitch that tore through the stomach. I had to go in for re-surgery and I'm lucky I got to the doctor when I did. That said, I had four barium swallow tests over 11 days before I was allowed to leave the hospital. After reading your story, I'm glad my docs insisted on them.

Derry, so sorry to hear about your loss. Yes, my doctor did a swallow test after surgery.

I am so sorry for your loss. I am a widow too I know how painful it must be to have lost your husband.

I am glad this test is standard after surgery with my dr.

Our hearts are with you, Derry, and I'm so sorry for your loss. What a horrible shock for your family, especially because it was in the pursuit of greater health and longer life.

I know this postop test is standard in the U.S., as well. When I had my band replaced this past August I was horribly, horribly thirsty while waiting for the swallow test, but traffic in the testing room was such that I had to wait more than an hour. Not even ice would they give me while I waited. It was torture, but for a very good reason.

<p>I send you my sympathy. My Doctor did perform this test. The insurance company deemed it unnecessary at first but, paid in the end. It should be mandatory after this procedure.</p>

It should be standard everywhere but it isn't. This is a point I make in the link in my sig as well.

I'm very sorry for your loss, wish there was something we could do.

No words can express my sympathy to you....and I am grateful that after all of this you can come on and warn others. I had my surgery in June and have never had this test done...not after surgery or at anytime with fills.....would be nice if all the doctors did things the same say.