Gastric Band Surgery Risks

In a recent report by Matthew Hill of BBC News it was inferred that Gastric Band surgery carried out by surgeons in Belgium put UK Patients at risk. This is totally untrue.

Gastric Band procedures In Belgium are carried according to the current guidelines of the Belgium Health Authorities which are different than those applied in the UK. This in no way infers that the Procedure is Unsafe for UK Patients who decide to travel to Belgium for this surgery Procedure. The Guidelines for Private Gastric Band surgery In Belgium are for Patients with a BMI of 30 to 35. What Must be remembered is that these are "Guidelines" on not strict "Rules"

In the BBC Interview it also carried a clandestine interview with Belgian Gastric Band Surgeon Dr. Chris De Bruyne who was "Secretly Filmed" during an Bogus interview for surgery by a BBC reporter. The reporter "Lead the Surgeon" in to making certain comments which gave the impression that He (the Surgeon) would carry out Gastric Band surgery on patients who did not fall within these guidelines. However, Dr Bruyne did emphasise that the difference of the 2 kg of weight was
insignificant if the patient was motivated and that patient had a record of weight fluctuation that would take them slightly over or below the BMI periodically.

There was no indication that Dr De Bryune was NOthe Surgeon who had carried out the Operation on Jilly Trella who had needed the emergency treatment due to complications. So one must ask the question, why was he (Dr De Bruyne) chosen by the BBC to interview in this manner? Surely the BBC would have been much better served to undertake an interview the Surgeon who had caused the problems that Jilly Trella had suffered from.

Furthermore the Interview then continued on to suggest Gastric Band Surgery carried out abroad (again citing Belgium as a cause for concern) was unsafe because of difficulties with access to aftercare. This also is not a true statement of fact. Most Gastric Band surgeons in Belgium make arrangements for clients in the UK to have access to aftercare. In many cases the Surgeon themselves travel to UK medical centres to carry out remedial and aftercare services for their Patients. In all cases Patients are given very clear instructions on what to do in cases of emergency and contact telephone numbers where they can obtain advice or treatment.

As with all cases of surgery there will be times when complications arise, and gastric band surgery is not without risk. These risks are explained to the Patient before and after surgery and the patient enters in to the "contract" with full knowledge of the risks involved. When complications do arise they are generally treated very quickly and efficiently by the surgeon, or the patient is advised how to seek emergency treatment.

The Interviewer also sent out a survey to Surgeons in the UK who were asked if they had carried out any emergency treatment for past patients from Abroad and the results stated that many had. However what the survey did NOT ask was if they had carried out any emergency treatment for gastric band surgery patients from UK Clinics. Nor did they ask Surgeons who are directly involved in High Volume cosmetic Surgery Clinics in clinics where gastric Band surgery is carried out.

In My opinion Dr Chris de Bryune was pilloried for something which he had not caused, nor was he given the proper opportunity to respond to the reporter's questions in a timely manner. It is totally unfair for any reporter to call a surgeon and expect them to respond when they are with a patient in a private consultation. The English Surgeons whom he then went on to interview were given the full facts of the debate, and also afforded the opportunity to respond in a timely fashion, in surroundings of their choosing, with the full knowledge that they were being interviewed.

Gastric Banding Surgery In Belgium is carried out By Highly qualified and experienced Surgeons, the Clinics where treatment is carried out are clean and hygienic, and the risks of complications are no greater than for procedure carried out in the UK.

I feel the BBC gave a very Biased report and Blew everything out of proportion for the sake of sensationalism.

I have found that there are now many posts on the Internet commenting on the recent report that was published by the BBC where it inferred that Gastric Band Surgery in Belgium was unsafe.

This claim is untrue, and the poor Belgian surgeon who was interviewed and recorded with the use of a hidden camera during a bogus consultation for Gastric Band surgery was totally, and unjustifiably set up.

It was inferred that he was doing wrong by offering gastric band surgery to people who have a BMI (body mass Index) of less that 30. This is in fact not the case.

Gastric Band Surgery for Private Patients is permissible at any level if the patient is so motivated and the surgeons considers it to be safe and beneficial to the patient on the grounds of the patients health.

The recommendation set out by the various medical boards of the UK and Europe recommend gastric band surgery for patients with a BMI of between 35 and 40. But what must be remembered here is that these are recommendations and not strict rules. In the USA for example the recommendations are set at a BMI of between 30 to 35 as a minimum standard, but again these are only recommendations and not strict rules.

I quote from The National heart Lung and blood Institutes website where the official classification of obesity is quoted http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

BMI Categories:

Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
In the bogus consultation with Belgian Gastric Band Surgeon Dr. Chris De Bruyne the interviewer (bogus Patient) lead Dr De Bryune into making statements by clever manipulation of the questions he was asking. The weight of the Bogus Patients was 2kg below the recommended BMI of 30 which as Dr Dr Bryune explained to the "interviewer" was of little significance if the patient "had a history of weight fluctuation" that would take him (the patient) above or below these weight limits on a regular basis.

The BBC report then went on to interview Surgeons in the UK who had been pre warned of the reasons for the interviews and were also able to prepare them selves in advance with replies to the question being asked. None of them However was asked the question if they themselves had ever performed Gastric Band Surgery on Patients below the BMI of 30, nor were they asked if they had had any problems with Patients from Clinics who had Gastric Band Operations at clinics in the UK.

At the end of the Interview the BBC reporter tried to contact Dr. De Bruyne on the telephone to interview him. However at the time of the Phone call Dr. De Bruyne clearly stated that he was with a patient at that moment in time and respectfully declined to be interviewed. However the BBC reporter inferred that Dr. De Bruyne refused totally to be interviewed. This is not the truth of the case as Dr. De Bruyne was not given a full and proper explanation for the reason for the request of an interview.

We are glad to report however that several of Dr. De Bruyne's patients called him to give him there full support and I quote from one of his Patients here who kindly gave us permission to publish the message She sent to Dr De Bryune.

QUOTE

Dear Dr Chris,

I have just read the article by the BBC regarding gastric banding and the details regarding yourself.

I would just like to say that I still have full confidence in you for my up coming surgery and think that reporters just out to grab some headlines and play on the worries of your current and possible future patients is disgraceful.

I was lucky enough to fit NICE guidelines for gastric banding but that didn't get me any closer to getting it on our NHS and I was very happy to find a surgeon with as good a reputation as you have at a price I was able to manage.

I continue to look forward to out next meeting at my pre-band consultation in December.

Kind regards,

Vicki Nixon

ENDQUOTE

And here is another

QUOTE

I am writing to complain about the shoddy undercover stitch-up of Dr Christian De bruyne on the BBC .
He is one of the most respected weight loss surgeons in Europe.

The real story that you still have not grasped about obesity is that the government is in denial about the disease and is choosing not to treat it. I wonder what would happen if the government decided not to treat some other disease eg. diabetes, hepatitis, prostate cancer etc.

In 10 years time when everyone wakes up to the fact that public money needs to be allocated to the nhs to treat the 95% of people who fail on diets, there will be a weight loss surgery clinic in every hospital offering choice of gastric banding, gastric bypass etc. There will be daily nhs clinics for band adjustments and no one will need to travel abroad to avoid greedy overcharging uk surgeons.

It was so wrong of you to suggest that Dr Debruyne does not offer follow-up in the uk. He has clinics here several times a month. (why did you not admit that your secret filming was at such a UK clinic?)

I happen to be now in the care of an nhs surgeon. He will only see me every six months, even if I am vomiting and need an emergency unfill, his nhs secretary will refuse me an appointment and direct me to his private practice. When I was unable to find the money, my only option was to go to A and E, just like the lady in your report! Sadly, they didn't know what to do and didn't have the correct non-coring needle to do it. They placed my life at risk for two days (acid reflux while sleeping = danger of inhalation causing lung damage requiring intensive care) until I discharged myself and made my way to Dr De bruynes Edinburgh clinic where all symptoms were immediately relieved with one injection to un fill the band.

So, you will see that this country owes a debt of gratitude to Dr De bruyne for filling a gap where nhs care is lacking. (I personally know 17 people who have had top quality operations performed by him with excellent aftercare)

If you ever want to do an honest piece about the real problem in relation to obesity, I will be happy to collaborate.

Until then, could you please let me know your motivation for this biased uninformed assassination of an excellent surgeon.

I look forward to hearing from you.

http://www.zimbio.com/Cosmetic+or+plastic+Sugery/articles/20/Gastric+banding+Surgery+belgium+debate+hots

ENDQUOTE

Dr De Byune received several other communications with similar comments and is thankfull for the support.

Links to this story can be found here

http://www.geoff-lord.com/marketing/gastricbandsurgerybelgium

http://www.zimbio.com/Cosmetic+or+plastic+Sugery/articles/10/Laparoscopic+Gastric+Band+Surgery+Belgium

by Geoff Lord Manchester UK

http://www.gastric-banding-surgery.co.uk