Bariatric Surgery Revisions

Bariatric surgeries have been performed for many decades. There are many different variations and each procedure can present with different long term complications or issues. The indications for a revision can be many and they depend on the particular procedure that was performed. Below you will see some of the most common possible indications but many others could be possible. You could experience one or several of these conditions but that alone doesn’t mean you need a revision. This list is for educational purposes only and you should discuss these issues with your physician.

• Inadequate weight loss or weight regain
• Narrowing or strictures
• Difficulty swallowing or frequent vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Ulcers or erosions
• Esophageal reflux
• Gastric or esophageal dilation
• Band slippage or prolapse
• Internal hernias or bowel obstructions
• Gastro-gastric fistulas

Dr. Angel Caban has ample experience performing Bariatric Surgery Revisions. He is highly skilled in minimally invasive procedures and his outcomes are excellent. If you had weight loss surgery in the past and you think that a revision will be beneficial to you please feel free to contact his office to be evaluated and see if you are a favorable candidate.

As mentioned before a revision is not for everyone. It is a reoperation and they can present with higher complication rates. In general, they can present with twice as much risk and that risk will increase exponentially with the number of reoperations.

When the revision is done for weight regain or inability to lose weight one more thing needs to be said. You will not lose as much weight as you did the first time or you might not lose as much weight as you think you will. This is well documented in many studies in the medical literature.

For example, if you had a gastric bypass 15-20 years ago and you lost 125 pounds but in the last 5 years you regained all the weight back and you have a revision of the bypass most likely you will lose around 60-75 pounds.

This happens mainly because your body has adjusted to the initial procedure so now the revision won’t have the same effect in your physiology. So you need to remember that after a revision you most likely will lose weight but not as much as you might think.

The above-mentioned example was a bypass revision, meaning a redo-bypass after a bypass. This could be different if the revision involves different procedures. An example of this could be a Lap Band revised to a sleeve or a bypass. In this scenario, the patient could experience a more significant weight loss than the initial procedure. Every patient is different so you need to discuss your particular situation with your surgeon. If you decide to seek a consultation with Dr. Caban he will be happy to go over this with you. 

Bariatric Surgery Revisions in many patients are a medical necessity. In these situations, a revision can significantly improve the patients quality of life. Dr. Angel Caban has seen many patients with complications from a Lap band, Vertical Banded Gastroplasty, Mini Gastric Bypass, and my other procedures for years. Some of these patients have seen multiple surgeons that are not willing or that don’t have the skills to help the patient. Some of them have been told that nothing can be done and they continue to live with the chronic vomiting, esophageal reflux and/or abdominal pain.

If you can relate with the above-mentioned statements you should consider getting another opinion with Dr. Caban. He has years of experience in the field of gastrointestinal surgery and bariatric surgery.