[so_1122]

This question is for others who have had both open and lap surgeries. I am wondering if given a choice which way would you choose? I have had 2 c-sections and other surgeries,, all have been open. I have heard and read that with lap surgery there is lots of gas after surgery and that is even more painful then open surgery recovery. I have thought that lap would be a quicker healing period. Just trying to decide if I should just have open...easier for doc and also I would know what recovery is like....

[sue4491]

Originally Posted by so_1122

This question is for others who have had both open and lap surgeries. I am wondering if given a choice which way would you choose?

First of all, if you've already had several surgeries which have opened the abdominal wall, lap may not be a good option for you.

Secondly, I would prefer the open, myself. Reason? Because they can SEE better. In lap surgery, they are not directly looking at the "operation field" but watching it in two dimensions. This makes errors like "nicking" surrounding organs more common especially with complex surgery like Weight Loss surgery. And they do add a lot of gas - some patients I've heard, have a hard time getting rid of it. I know that would be me.

A local WLS surgeon when he was doing the bypass said he would NOT do a gastric bypass or duodenal switch using the LAP technique because he felt that you couldn't see well enough and also hands are gentler than instruments in handling vital organs etc. This was the first I heard of this but in checking it out I found other surgeons who felt the same way.

For example, on one internet spot where they show live surgery (one of the teaching universities), the surgeon who did a Whipple procedure which has some similarities to weight loss surgery, said he would NOT do it lap because there were too many complexities to do it as well laparoscopically.

They do do the lap band laparoscopically but it's a rather simple surgery - where no intestines are cut or rearranged, no stapling involved. This surgeon I told you about who would not do bypass surgery lap, DOES do the lap band laparoscopically.

I'm nursing along a deficient gall bladder. If I ever have to have that removed, I'm pretty sure I would choose open rather than lap....