The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) reports that, on average, patients who have gastric sleeve surgery lose anywhere from 50 to 60 percent of their excess body weight. But, around 10-30 percent of gastric sleeve surgery patients cannot achieve this weight loss or regain some of the lost weight.
If you fall into this specific category, you may wonder if getting gastric sleeve surgery a second time is possible.
Read on to understand how gastric sleeve surgery can be repeated and what happens during a redo surgery.
What Is Revisional Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
As the name suggests, revisional gastric sleeve surgery is a surgical procedure performed to revise or correct a previous gastric sleeve surgery. This type of surgery is usually necessary when the first gastric sleeve surgery fails to produce the desired results or when complications develop after the initial surgery.
There are several reasons why a revisional gastric sleeve surgery may be necessary. For example, if the original surgery was not performed correctly, the stomach may not have been adequately resected, or the staples may have come loose over time.
In addition, weight gain can occur after gastric sleeve surgery if patients do not stick to a healthy diet and exercise regularly. It is often because the stomach can gradually stretch over time, leading to a decrease in weight loss.
After gastric sleeve surgery, you may experience side effects like back pain, indigestion, nausea, and vomiting. These side-effects are usually temporary and will improve over time.
Read more: Back Pain After Gastric Sleeve.
Options to Redo Gastric Sleeve
a) Duodenal Switch
Here, a large portion of the stomach is removed, and the duodenum (the first segment of the small intestine) is divided. The remaining part of the stomach is then reattached to the lower end of the small intestine. It allows food to bypass a significant portion of the small intestine, which results in fewer calories and nutrients being absorbed.
b) Lap Band to Sleeve
Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB) is a restrictive weight loss surgery that involves placing an inflatable band around the top of the stomach to create a small pouch. The band is adjusted by injecting or removing saline solution through a port placed under the skin. For some people, the band may no longer provide enough restriction, and they may opt to have it removed and replaced with a sleeve gastrectomy.
c) Reverse Sleeve
A reverse sleeve gastrectomy (RSG) is also an option for people with previous weight loss surgery. RSG involves removing the stomach sleeve and reattaching the intestines to the stomach.
d) Gastric Bypass
It is the common type of surgery for significantly overweight people. It involves creating a small stomach pouch and bypassing a section of the small intestine. The surgery is usually done laparoscopically, which means through several small incisions.
West Texas Bariatrics offers gastric sleeve surgery in Lubbock. Our surgeons are experienced in performing this type of procedure and will work with you to ensure you’re a good candidate for surgery.
