Bandster Death

shellyj · October 13, 2003

i copied this from extraordinary bandsters

Most of the time when we've had scares about deaths related to the band, it's turned out to be someone new posting to the boards trying to scare potential bandsters away from this as a weight loss surgery option. However, I think I've been around long enough so that I have some credibility and you'll believe and learn from this experience.

We lost a bandster from my local group who was banded about a year ago in Mexico. Unfortunately, she had swelling from the beginning and was always tight, so she'd never had a flouro and never had a fill and had no band-related medical care after leaving her surgeon.

A month ago she was admitted to the hospital because she couldn't keep anything down. She had x-rays, ultrasounds, even an endoscopy but unfortunately these were done by medical professionals who had no experience with the band. She had the Inamed medical card which she showed them and tried to explain about the band, but they did no follow-up with Inamed nor would they consult with any bariatric surgeons not affiliated with the hospital (much less the Mexican surgeon).

By the time she got out of that hospital and under the care of a lap-band doctor, her stomach was septic and she had to have her band removed. Her band was at the bottom of her stomach! Unfortunately she also had a very bad respiratory infection, presumably the result of aspirating the reflux in to the lungs. The respiratory infection was too much for her and she died Saturday night.

Normally the treatment for reflux is to have some (or all) of your

fill removed and let the stomach heal for a while. But fill or no,

it would be prudent to have a regular checkup of the band, especially if you are having reflux or pain that can't be associated to post-op healing. If you have any concerns, get them checked out either by a flouro or an ultrasound, but MAKE SURE THIS IS PERFORMED BY SOMEONE FAMILIAR WITH THE BAND and knows what they should be looking for.

If you can't return to your surgeon, make sure you have some form of support - or at least a primary doctor who is willing to consult with a doctor performing lap band surgeries and is knowledgeable about potential complications.

Deaths are incredibly rare with the band and most have been the same type of complications that can arise from any surgical procedure. This death could have been prevented with proper follow-up care. While complications are rare with the band, they can happen and need to be ruled out if you are having problems.

Something else that I'd like to point out is that this occurred in

the Pacific Northwest which has a plethora of banding surgeons when compared to the rest of the country. Unfortunately, most only treat their own patients unless it's an emergency. I know that there are several bandsters on this board who live in isolated areas and are a long ways away from a banding surgeon. Being close by didn't help this poor bandster because the medical team she had trusted weren't willing to consult with doctors even in the next county. Their arrogence and ignorance kept her from getting the timely care she needed when it was an emergency. But had she gone to one of the doctors willing to see other surgeon's patients BEFORE the symptoms were so severe, the outcome might have been much different.

So please, make sure you have access to medical support that will take the risks associated with the band into consideration when they address any symptoms you might have. I really don't want to hear of any more deaths due to improper follow-up care.

Please, please take care of yourself and your band. I still think

it's the safest weight loss surgery available, but that doesn't help

the family who is blaming the band for the loss of their mother.

This certainly happens more frequently in the bypass community, but that's of little consolation right now to her loved ones.

Alexandra · October 13, 2003

Thanks for posting this, Shelly. It is indeed sobering.

It's really important to emphasize that it is NOT normal to be vomiting all the time and to be in pain, or to be unable to keep anything down. If anyone should have these symptoms, GET THEM CHECKED OUT. A casual prescription for antacids is not necessarily the right treatment for a banded patient with reflux, and it is up to US to know that.

Thanks again for posting. This is very important reading.

donali · October 13, 2003

Sobering, indeed. My heart goes out to her family, friends and support group.

Many thanks for the info and the reminder.

shellyj · October 13, 2003

it really surprised me that it her Dr. didnt call inamed or at least another bariatric surgeon. i have decided if i have an emergency i will insist on going to the hospital my dr works in. at least they could call him in, and atleast they will have heard of the band. i know of 2 hospitals here in nash. that do not do bariatric surgery at all. one of thos is closest to my home- it would have been my first choice.

i hope EVERYONE on this board reads this and keeps it in the back of their head in the event of an emergency. this is the kind of thing (complications) i looked for pre-band doing research and i have only come across this one and 2 others (also posted)

i feel sooo bad for the family, an unexpected death is never easy to deal with:(

marsha · October 13, 2003

::cry

quakergirl · October 13, 2003

That is sad, especially since it was so preventable. I hope her family sues the doctors who let her get that bad without consulting someone who knew about the band.

I hope that any newbies who are reading this are not scared off the band by it. The band is very safe with competent medical supervision - much safer than the bypass or staying obese.

Bright · October 14, 2003

God, echoing Alexandra, that is sobering.... I am a little worried, because if I'm honest, I have been feeling that I'll be ok after surgery and won't need much aftercare - I will have to fly to france or the UK to find any sort of expert but I guess, after reading your post, Michelle, I should sort out regular check ups & after care.... I went to see my GP (regular family doctor) yesterday and she was very surprised to hear I am planning to have the surgery - she knew very little about it! Scary!

shellyj · October 14, 2003

hey bright

i would ask your surgeon for some info to pass along to your dr giving him/her the basics on the band what to look for. Maybe the could even do a phone call. at least your dr would understand the basics that the band is supposed to be at the TOP of stomach and you should be able to keep liquids down.

for check-ups maybe your regular dr could do a basic x-ray to check the posistion of the band (make sure it hasnt slipped)

i bet your not the first patient your surgeon has had from another country. you will just have to be extra careful bright, know what to look for.

Alexandra · October 14, 2003

A month ago she was admitted to the hospital because she couldn't keep anything down. She had x-rays, ultrasounds, even an endoscopy but unfortunately these were done by medical professionals who had no experience with the band. She had the Inamed medical card which she showed them and tried to explain about the band, but they did no follow-up with Inamed nor would they consult with any bariatric surgeons not affiliated with the hospital (much less the Mexican surgeon).

I'm normally very anti-litigation, and quick to find potential explanations for errors that people make. But it does seem highly irresponsible, even neglectful, for medical staff to discount the probability that a foreign object implanted around one's stomach is the cause of serious and ongoing gastrointestinal distress. I mean, for crying out loud, the band should have been removed at that point with no delay. I don't care if they had no experience with the band. It's not a lifesaving device like a pacemaker; removing it should be the obvious course of action if it's causing problems.

It's possible, of course, that the patient vigorously resisted any such suggestion. If that's the case, we should all take it under advisement that there are FAR worse things than not having a band.

BandAid · October 17, 2003

I hate to say this, but I believe she should have been more aggressive about her own care.

When she had the x-rays, endoscopy, etc. she should have insisted that the docs consult with Inamed or a band doctor. If they weren't willing to do that, then she should have taken it to the hospital administration.

Actually, it sounds like she should have gone back to her surgeon MONTHS ago considering the fact that she was having trouble from the beginning. I believe it was incredibly irresponsible of her not to arrange for follow-up care and she ended up paying the ultimate price for not doing so.

Thoughts and prayers to her family and friends. :cool: