Hey everyone, I just got word from my insurance company yesterday that I am approved for the lap band procedure and I am so excited to start my new life! The only thing that concerns me is that my surgeon requested that there be two surgeons in the room during the surgery. Himself and another surgeon. My insurance company denied the request for the second surgeon. Is that something I should be concerned about? I have my pre-op appointment scheduled for next tuesday. I know it would depend on if my surgeon is comfortable doing the surgery on his own (obviously with his assistants as well) Has anyone else had this happen to them? If so, please tell me the outcome? Did the surgeon still go forward with your surgery?

It would depend on his reason for wanting a second surgeon. Is your case complicated by a high BMI or other health risk factors? Or is he just training a new surgeon?

I do have a bmi of 48. I know its high, but im also 22. So Im not sure what his response is going to be.

Hello, I would find out why he is requesting a second surgeon, just for my own piece of mind. When I had my surgery only my surgeon was there.

My approval didn't specify that but I had two surgeons (no health complications and a BMI of 40, he just uses an assistant). My surgeon submitted charges for his assistant and the insurance company denied it. My surgeon just wrote that portion off.

I've never heard of anyone doing this surgery without a second surgeon as an assistant.

I am not positive about this, becasue I haven't had my consult yet, but from what I gathered from the informational sessions my surgeon does not have another surgeon rather one or two P.A.s with him.

If your surgeon has a lot of experience (more than 1,000), I wouldn't be too concerned about it.

I am not positive about this, becasue I haven't had my consult yet, but from what I gathered from the informational sessions my surgeon does not have another surgeon rather one or two P.A.s with him. :eek:

Oh, mine has his partner assist. And then he assists for his partner.

My surgeon had his partner who is the director of the bariatics department as his assistant during the surgery. When I asked why (pre-surgery), he said it's common practice for them to assist each other. It was very comforting to me, because both doctors came to see how I was the day after surgery (at different time of the day- one morning and one afternoon.) And my surgeon is very skilled. He has been doing it for over 20 year with over 1800 surgeries performed. So, just ask your surgeon all your questions...I'm sure their is a good explaination.

Btw, I read somewhere else that Lap Band is performed with only 1 surgeon and can be done that way so maybe it's not as big a deal as I first thought.