Greenwich Hospital Weight Loss Surgery Lawyer

Weight loss surgery or bariatric surgery is for patients whose health is at risk because they are overweight. If you went through weight loss surgery at Greenwich Hospital and suffered serious health complications that you believe may have been a result of hospital malpractice, you can seek legal help from the Greenwich Hospital weight loss surgery lawyers at Berkowitz Hanna. To learn more, contact us today.

Weight Loss Surgery

Greenwich Hospital offers three main types of bariatric surgery: gastric bypass, the adjustable laparoscopic band (Lap Band®) and gastric sleeve procedures. Which procedure a patient has depends on his or her individual situation.

Roux en Y Gastric Bypass Surgery

During this operation the surgeon staples the stomach to create a small pouch separating it from the rest of the stomach. The pouch holds only one to two ounces of solid food or liquid at any one time. It is called bypass surgery because the main part of the stomach and the first part of the intestine are bypassed during the creation of the pouch which is then reattached to a section of the small intestine. The pouch allows patients to lose weight because only a small amount of food can be eaten at a time and fewer calories are absorbed.

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding

This surgery involves the surgeon placing an adjustable silicone ring around the upper part of the stomach to create a small pouch. The pouch holds the food. Only a small opening allows food to enter the stomach. The food takes longer to enter and only a small amount of food can pass through; thus the patient feels full sooner and remains full longer.

The silicone ring can be adjusted because the band is attached by a flexible tube to an access port just underneath the skin. The surgeon can vary the band’s size because it has an inner surface that is filled with a saline solution, and the amount of saline can be increased or decreased by the physician.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

During this procedure the surgeon staples the stomach to create a small a tube- or sleeve-shaped portion. The remaining approximately 75 percent of the stomach is removed. Like other bariatric procedures, the surgery creates a smaller stomach which limits how much patients can eat and makes them feel full sooner.

This type of bariatric surgery may be the first step in a two-step process. The second step would be to have gastric bypass surgery. Sometimes, however, a sleeve gastrectomy can be a stand-alone procedure. This would depend on the individual patient’s condition.

Weight Loss Surgery Risks

Any of these procedures are susceptible to the common risks of surgery such as infection. Other risks include:

  • Reaction to anesthesia
  • Blood clots
  • Excess bleeding
  • Leaks around the stapled area
  • Problems with the lungs or breathing
  • Bowel obstruction
  • Dumping syndrome which causes diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
  • Gall stones
  • Hernia
  • Low blood sugar
  • Malnutrition
  • Perforation of the stomach
  • Ulcers
  • Death (rare)

While all surgical procedures come with certain risks, there are certain precautions surgeons and staff must take to ensure the surgery goes as safely and smoothly as possible. If any of the hospital staff fails to provide adequate care for a patient before, during or after the surgery, the outcome can be devastating.

If you or someone you love suffered serious complications after bariatric surgery and you believe it could have been prevented, you may be eligible to file a claim. To schedule a free and private consultation to discuss your case with a Greenwich bariatric surgery lawyer, contact Berkowitz and Hanna LLC today.

Brief History of Hospital

The idea to establish the Greenwich Hospital was discussed March 2, 1903, by the Greenwich Hospital Association. The association was granted a charter of incorporation from the Connecticut General Assembly and was told that it would receive $25,000 in matching funds when the hospital raised $75,000 from private sources. The “Octagon House,” the structure that became the new hospital, was built on Milbank Ave with $52,250 from the Greenwich Hospital Association.

The Greenwich Hospital, which was called the Milbank Avenue Hospital, opened with 24 beds and a professional staff of four physicians, a head nurse, a matron, 10 consulting doctors, a graduate assistant and seven volunteer student nurses. In its first year, the hospital treated 170 patients, most of whom stayed on wards, although there were 47 private rooms.

A nursing school was established and graduated two nurses in its first class in May 1902. Although the school closed 66 years later, the hospital still offers nurses the chance to pursue graduate degrees and certification in their specialties.

To meet the needs of the growing Greenwich community, which reached more than 16,000 in 1910, Commodore Elias C. Benedict bought property on Perryridge Road in August 1914 to build a new hospital. His vision of the new facility included 23 private rooms, three semi-private wards, a 10-bed maternity ward and a nursery, as well as two operating rooms, a dispensary, a library, laboratory, and X-ray room. The new hospital opened in October 1917 in time to treat patients suffering during the countrywide influenza epidemic.

A new hospital was dedicated in 1951 to meet the needs of advances in medicine. A South Wing, finished in 1965, added 80 patient rooms to the 245 already there. In 1978 the hospital added a Northwest Wing, funded by a $10.5 million contribution.

In 1998, Greenwich Hospital became a part of the Yale-New Haven Health System. It also affiliated with the Yale University School of Medicine. New hospital buildings opened in 1999 and 2006 — The Leona and Harry B. Helmsley Medical Building and the Thomas and Olive C. Watson Pavilion respectively.

Get in Touch with a Greenwich Hospital Weight Loss Surgery Attorney

If you suffered complications after weight loss surgery that you believe were caused by a healthcare worker’s malpractice, you could be eligible for compensation. A dedicated member of our legal team could assess your case and help you determine your options for pursuing legal action against the at-fault provider. To schedule a free consultation with a Greenwich Hospital weight loss surgery lawyer, contact our office today.