Beware Gastric Bypass with stapeling!

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Nov 11, 2003

Tyco-made surgical stapler cited in patient death

Investigators are focusing on a surgical stapler made by a Tyco International Ltd. unit following the death of an obese woman who had undergone gastric bypass surgery in a Boston hospital, the company says.

Reuters/Forbes.com, Nov. 6, 2003

http://www.forbes.com/business/healthcare/newswire/2003/11/06/rtr1138596.html

cannoli · Nov 11, 2003

So what exactly happened? It doesn't actually say, only that the staple gun malfunctioned.

rpbear · Nov 11, 2003

What a tragic thing to happen, unfortunately the risk when having gastric bypass is high anyway. Saw many Gastric Bypass procedures go bad while working as an aide on a med/surg unit.

Zee_RN, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2003

My soon-to-be former hospital is going to be starting bariatric surgery soon. We are all being in-serviced on it this month. They say we're going to be getting all the specialty equipment but my place is notoriously stingy with getting new equipment. And the big beds don't even fit through our patient room doors.

I'd really like to know what they mean by the staple-gun "misfiring." Did it fire into her heart? Lung? What? Did it throw off multiple staples that went willy-nilly throughout her internally?

cannoli · Nov 11, 2003

Yea, that's what I'd like to know.

eldernurse · Nov 11, 2003

I had a friend who is also a nurse who had gastric bypass surgery. She was unable to eat ANYTHING for a year. She was on TPN via a picc line in her right AC. Then, she developed ulcers that began bleeding and she almost died. Then, she needed surgery to repair the ulcers that wouldn't heal in her stomach, at least the part that was viable. Then, she developed a deadly arrhythmia because of her inability to get enough nutrition. They had to put in a permanent pacemaker.

Here it is almost 2 yrs later and she is certainly thin. She looks like a skeleton and can only eat baby food from a jar. :confused: And this because she felt fat at 210 lbs.

Was it worth it? She says she did it because she didn't feel "pretty". She still doesn't feel pretty. But now she doesn't have her health either.

Todd SPN · Nov 11, 2003

I know this is considered a high risk surgery. I have never had any exposure to people who have had it performed. I don't want to change the direction of this thread, but would like input from those of you with some knowledge. I have a 50 y/o male relative, type I diabetic, who is considering this surgery. He is a little over 100lbs overweight, watches his diet, physical activity is minimal. Does he sound like a good candidate and how much does the diabetes figure into the risk?

cannoli · Nov 11, 2003

Why doesn't he just start exercising?

Todd SPN · Nov 11, 2003

Originally posted by cannoli
Why doesn't he just start exercising?

Most of the family think he is just lazy. Myself, I wonder if being that overweight makes it hard to want to even get out and walk. I would think that even after the surgery he would have to exercise. There is the possiblility he is just looking for an easy way to lose weight.

cannoli · Nov 11, 2003

I'm sure at that weight it is difficult, but one has to start slowly and gradually build up time and distance. Any exercise is better than none. It gets easier as you do it.

Walking, riding a stationary bike, a treadmill are all good and shouldn't be too hard to do for the overweight.

I would try exercise as well as diet first.

bellehill, RN · Nov 11, 2003

I worked on a floor with gastric bypass surgeries coming up as over-flow patients. There was always a problem with them, some type of complication; pancreas was nicked, malnutrition, diarrhea/vomitting after eating... Of course the doctor who was performing the procedures has since had his hospital priviledges taken away. Anytime I hear someone talking about possibly getting a gastric bypass I cringe.

If your family member has diabetes I would definitely say don't do it. The risks of the surgery are so high for a seemingly healthy person, don't through diabetes into the mix.