While many patients achieve successful results with their first bariatric surgery, for others the outcome is not as satisfactory. There are two major reasons patients seek revisional bariatric surgery at our Chicago-area surgical centers. Some patients experience significant side effects or complications from an earlier bariatric surgery that are impacting quality of life. Other patients come to us for revisional bariatric surgery when they do not achieve the expected rate of weight loss. If you have undergone a bariatric surgery procedure, you may have ceased to shed pounds before reaching your target weight, or, less commonly, you may be losing weight at a rate that you find alarmingly rapid. Regardless of the reasons behind your dissatisfaction with your bariatric surgery, the first step in the revisional bariatric surgery process is to contact one of our bariatric surgery offices and schedule an appointment to meet with one of our experienced and knowledgeable bariatric surgeons. Our surgeon will answer your questions and perform a preliminary evaluation of your initial bariatric procedure.
- Finding Bariatric Surgery Satisfaction the Second Time Around
- Revisional Bariatric Surgery to Address Roux-en-Y Complications
- Revisional Bariatric Surgery to Address LAP-BAND® System Complications
- Revision of Outdated Weight Loss Surgeries
- Early Weight Loss Surgery Methods – Intestinal Bypass and Gastroplasty
- Intestinal Bypass and Gastroplasty Revision
Finding Bariatric Surgery Satisfaction the Second Time Around
Although the majority of Roux-en-Y and LAP-BAND® System procedures provide excellent results, as with any surgery, complications do occur. Revisional bariatric surgery is a more complex and involved procedure than an initial bariatric surgery. Because revisional surgery involves readdressing the surgical techniques employed during the first surgery, it can usually not be performed laparoscopically. The success of a revisional bariatric surgery is especially dependent upon the experience of the surgeon performing the operation.
Revisional Bariatric Surgery to Address Roux-en-Y Complications
Complications occurring after a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure that can be improved through revisional bariatric surgery include:
- Unsatisfactory weight loss
- Ulcer
- Chronic vomiting
- Hernia
- Staple line failure (possible stomach acid leakage)
Revisional Bariatric Surgery to Address LAP-BAND® System Complications
After a LAP-BAND® System procedure, potential complications that can be improved through the use of revisional bariatric surgery include:
- Unsatisfactory weight loss (after repeated adjustments to the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band)
- Slippage or erosion of the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band
- Infection and/or breakage of the LAP-BAND® System injection port (rare)
Depending upon the needs of the individual patient, revisional bariatric surgery performed at our practice can involve either the complete removal of the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band, its repositioning, or its replacement.
Revision of Outdated Weight Loss Surgeries
Some patients who undergo revisional bariatric surgery at our practice have not explored their weight loss surgery options for a decade or more.
Early Weight Loss Surgery Methods – Intestinal Bypass and Gastroplasty
Intestinal bypass and gastroplasty surgeries are outdated procedures that were employed before adequate weight loss surgery clinical data was available to ensure each procedure’s safety and efficacy. In fact, intestinal bypass surgery, referred to by medical professionals as the jejunoileal bypass or JIB, became the first weight loss surgery ever attempted when it was originally preformed in 1954. As a result of serious, and in some cases, potentially fatal side effects, the intestinal bypass procedure is no longer offered as a treatment for morbid obesity. The gastroplasty procedure, developed in the 1970s, while not typically dangerous, has been found in clinical studies to be generally ineffective at producing weight loss in obese patients. It too has been discontinued as a recommended form of obesity treatment.
Intestinal Bypass and Gastroplasty Revision
Many JIB and gastroplasty patients who undergo a revisional bariatric surgery procedure at our practice opt to have their original procedure not only reversed, but converted to the modern Roux-en-Y. After undergoing revisional surgery, most patients subsequently enjoy excellent weight loss outcomes, although often at a slower rate than patients who undergo their first bariatric surgery procedure. Our bariatric surgeons are in most cases also able to eliminate or significantly decrease the severity of unpleasant side effects such as diarrhea, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance that are associated with older weight loss surgical procedures.
Contact the Revisional Bariatric Surgery Experts at Suburban Surgical Care Specialists/Kane Center
Whatever type of revisional bariatric surgery procedure you are seeking, the friendly, helpful staff and surgeons at Suburban Surgical Care Specialists/Kane Center can answer all of your questions. We invite you to meet with a bariatric surgeon at our offices.
Did you know that weight loss surgery is often a covered benefit? Contact Suburban Surgical Care Specialists/Kane Center today to schedule a complete and confidential patient consultation.