Leak after gastric sleeve surgery

[Schotziedb]

Hello,

I am new to this forum. I have started the process for weight loss surgery and I am leaning towards the sleeve. I'm just a little worried about a leak after the surgery. During the education session I attendee yesterday, I was told leaks happen more with the sleeve than with the bypass and that if there were a leak with the bypass it would happen right after surgery but with the sleeve it happens later.

Has anyone had a leak with the gastric sleeve? If so, how much after your surgery did it happen?

Any info anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much...

[mtngrl]

Most surgeons check several times either during surgery or afterward.

[MClark]

Hi, I met with my surgeon this week as port of my pre-op meetings. I asked him how many of his procedures had resulted in a leak, and he said none. He told me that he checks for leaks at the end of the surgery, and the morning after surgery I will be checked for a leak.
Hope this helps.

[zmdh39]

Hello,

I am new to this forum. I have started the process for weight loss surgery and I am leaning towards the sleeve. I'm just a little worried about a leak after the surgery. During the education session I attendee yesterday, I was told leaks happen more with the sleeve than with the bypass and that if there were a leak with the bypass it would happen right after surgery but with the sleeve it happens later.

Has anyone had a leak with the gastric sleeve? If so, how much after your surgery did it happen?

Any info anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much...

Wow, that seems strange considering the bypass pouch formation is similar to that of the sleeve, but includes the re-routing of the intestinal tract, I would think that the leak rate would be higher for the Bypass. Like a previous user said most surgeons to several leak checks during and after surgery. My surgeon does a leak test during surgery before he closes up with a solution and compressed air to check for leaks. After surgery he does a purple dye test in the hospital, and then a barium swallow once released from the hospital.

I would think that it would depend on the sleeve formation as well. Some surgeons only use bariatric staples. My surgeon used both the staples and did a suture line over the staples. I have also heard of surgeons that do staples, suture line, but also use a special glue for extra reinforcement as well. Leaks can happen further out, but for large part they happen right after surgery. I think that more commonly further out from surgery people will develop strictures or an abscess that gets categorized as a leak. I am not saying that a leak can't happen further out, I am not a doctor after all, but the staple line heals rather quickly, and most of what I have read about people having post-op problem wise that say they developed a leak turned out to be an abscess in the end.

I hope this helps you out some.

[cathbas]

i have heard of later leaks.. which is why you have to listen to your body...my surgeon always asks if i am nauseated so i am sure that must be one of the signs..still i dont know of anyone who had one..

[cathbas]

so i spent a few moments googling this..there are VERY few that get this after 3 weeks..
and the article said that the surgeon and his technical ability has a lot to do with whether or not you will get a leak.
i loved my surgeon, reserched his practice and felt confident.
keep on researching...good luck to you

[LadyLitteRock]

I think each bariatric surgery has their own risks and possible complications. Each one is a bit different since the procedures are very different as well. Might want to research each type of surgery and see which one, you personally feel more comfortable with. I chose the sleeve, because I find it to be less risky than a band or bypass by far. Also, aside from the risks of the surgery, one needs to look at their own health, what issues do you personally have? how overweight are you? age? medications? your compliance level? etc... these are the basic things one should look into before even going for this surgeries. All of the above criteria, can also cause complications and issues with surgery, which has nothing to do with the doctors technique or the procedure, its the body's natural response. Make sure your surgeon knows everything about you, do not leave anything out or hide anything. I agree with the above responses, abscess, strictions, hematomas, etc... can all be categorized as leaks, when they are not. Post op instructions are very important to follow. If the doctor says no lifting, no pushing or pulling, etc... for said weeks-follow instructions, period. If you are only to eat this or that, do just that, period. A person by forcing food and by eating things they are not suppose to, while the stomach is healing can create a leak themselves, because they are pushing themselves, when the body is not ready. Good Luck on your decisions.

[cowgirljane]

I don't know about gastric bypass, but with the sleeve the risk of leaks is pretty low - I think it is in the 1-2percent range. They aren't always caught during those leak tests because the stomach is swollen ... so the leak might show up a few days or weeks laters but was likely always there. There are plenty of surgeons who don't do leak tests anymore but monitor the patient for symptoms closely in those early days and weeks post op.

The only reason I know of for a "leak" to happen much later is the even rarer case (I have heard of one person only) of developing an ulcer later that actually causes a gastric leak. That is pretty rare.

Leaks are terrible when they happen, but most people recover well and go on to lose weight etc. I am very glad i didn't have to go through it, but I was very aware of the possibility.

[Schotziedb]

Thanks. My meeting with my surgeon is 9/18. I'm compiling all my questions for her.

[Schotziedb]

Thanks for our reply! It makes me feel better about going with the sleeve. I have an appt w/ my surgeon later in the month and have many questions for her!

[Schotziedb]

I thought the risks were lower too. That's why I was leaning towards the sleeve. I think I'm still leaning towards the sleeve, though.

[mtngrl]

I was really worried about that before surgery but my surgeon oversews the staple line and that made me feel much better. No problems and almost 3 months post op.

[Jus1605]

I got a leak two weeks after surgery, it was awful. I spent two weeks in hospital, then it took me about three months to feel normal again. I'm doing great now though, I'm just over twelve months post op and feeling really good.

[zmdh39]

I got a leak two weeks after surgery, it was awful. I spent two weeks in hospital, then it took me about three months to feel normal again. I'm doing great now though, I'm just over twelve months post op and feeling really good.

Out of curiosity did they every say what could cause a post operative leak that far out?

[Jus1605]

Out of curiosity did they every say what could cause a post operative leak that far out?

No they didn't, just that because of all the swelling it wasn't picked up after surgery, then once the swelling started to go down the leak began to "leak" lol.