questions, questions, etc..

November 3, 2003

I have so many questions I don't know where to start! First of all, who has had the surgery done laproscopically? Is this the standard way of doing the surgery now? What is the recovery time if you have the surgery done laproscopically? HOspital stay length? How long does a laproscopic surgery take? I mean, how long are you actually in the operating room for?

thanks. I 'll be back with more questions I'm sure of it!

prk1116 · November 3, 2003

I was in the hospital over night, surgery lasted 2.5 hrs. Was off work for 5 days, could have probably gone back in 4.

Alexandra · November 3, 2003

Hi Julie! Welcome to LBT!!

First off, the Lap Band is designed to be implanted laparoscopically--hence the name (LAParascopic gastric BAND). I have never heard of anyone having "open" Lap Band surgery, though I guess it's possible. You may be thinking of RNY surgery, which can be done either open or laparoscopically.

As a rule, people having lap surgery are typically in and out of the operating room much faster than with traditional surgery. My surgery was done out-patient, and I didn't have to spend even one night in the hospital. I was in the OR for maybe an hour, and home just a few hours later. Other people will have similar stories about the surgery itself, though many doctors and hospitals like to keep patients overnight after the surgery to be sure everything is OK.

My surgery was on Wednesday morning, and I was back at work on Monday feeling almost 100%. As surgeries go, Lap Band installation is a pretty easy one!

Ginger2120 · November 4, 2003

I was in the hospital overnight. I was in the OR for about 3 hours because my surgeon had to work through quite a bit of scar tissue. My surgeon also said it's very very difficult to do this surgery as an open procedure because of where the band is placed. It's hard to get there if they open you up.

I had surgery on a Monday afternoon, and I was back to work on Friday morning. I was a little tired, but there was no pain at all. As far as surgeries go this one was a breeze!