Why bariatric revision surgery?
Bariatric revision surgery “revises” a previous weight loss surgery. If you’ve had complications (such as GERD or vomiting), this might be a good option for you.
But if you’ve had poor weight loss results or weight regain, this may also be a good option for you! Just because a previous weight loss surgery didn’t work well for you, doesn’t mean you can’t achieve a good result with a revision. It may be that a different surgery will work better for you. Or, it may mean that your existing surgery just needs a repair or a redo. No matter who your surgeon was before, Dr. Oliak is here to help you find out if a revision surgery will help you.
A bariatric surgery revision can repair the original surgery, or convert it to a different operation.
Gastric Banding (LAP-BAND®) Revision Surgery
Why revise a LAP-BAND® surgery?
LAP-BAND® surgery is not as popular as it used to be, because long-term outcomes are not as good as with gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery.
Not all LAP-BAND® operations require revision. But if you’ve had poor weight loss, had significant weight regain, and/or experienced complications like severe acid reflux or vomiting, you may want to consider a revision operation.
How is a revision operation done for LAP-BAND® surgery?
Revising a previous LAP-BAND® surgery usually involves converting it to a different surgery. There are 2 steps for this process.
1) Dr. Oliak removes the LAP-BAND®.
2) Then, he performs a gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery, depending on which is right for you.
These 2 steps can either take place during one surgical operation or two. It’s possible to do both in one operation most of the time, but not always. In some cases, Dr. Oliak recommends waiting 3-6 months in between surgeries.
Why wait? Above all, Dr. Oliak’s goal for the surgery itself is patient safety. Revision surgery is higher risk than first time weight loss operations, and In certain circumstances it’s safer to have 2 separate operations. If you’ve had complications such as band slippage, band erosion, or dilated gastric pouch, it’s generally safer to wait.
Which revision surgery is right for you: gastric sleeve or gastric bypass?
Sleeve gastrectomy is a good option for people who initially had good weight loss with the LAP-BAND® and didn’t develop issues with severe vomiting or acid reflux.
Gastric bypass is generally considered a better option for people who didn’t have good weight loss with the LAP-BAND® surgery, or who developed severe issues with vomiting or acid reflux.
In Dr. Oliak’s experience, LAP-BAND® revision patients are typically much happier with a gastric bypass or sleeve because they experience better weight loss, more normal eating, and fewer issues with vomiting and GERD.
Gastric Sleeve Revision Surgery
Why revise a gastric sleeve surgery?
A gastric sleeve revision operation is done if you’ve had poor weight loss or complications (usually gerd). The revision operation can entail either preserving the sleeve, or converting it to a different surgery.
Which revision surgery is right for you: revising the sleeve, or converting to another operation?
Your gastric sleeve operation can be preserved if the issue is anatomical in nature, AKA the sleeve is too large, or if you’ve developed a hiatal hernia that causes acid reflux. In both of those cases it might make sense to preserve the sleeve.
Gastric Bypass Revision Surgery
A revision operation may be indicated if you’ve had complications or poor weight loss. In most cases the initial bypass is preserved (not converted to another surgery).
Poor weight loss (or regain) can stem from anatomical issues like an enlarged stomach pouch or a dilated connection between the pouch and intestine. A revision surgery will correct these issues.
Complications that result in abdominal pain (chronic ulcer, internal hernia, etc.) or reflux/vomiting (hiatal hernia, chronic stricture, etc.) can often be fixed with a revision operation.
Bariatric Revision Surgery Risks
Bariatric revision surgery is riskier than first-time weight loss surgery. Complication rates are higher, readmission rates are higher, and reoperation rates are higher after revision operations.1-3 Leaks, for example, have been reported to occur up to 5 times more frequently after revisional weight loss surgery than after first-time weight loss surgery.1-3
Bariatric revision operations are complex, technically difficult to perform, and higher risk. That’s why it’s particularly important to choose a skilled and experienced surgeon. Dr. Oliak has been performing bariatric revision operations since 2002, and has a track record of excellent patient outcomes.*
*Individual patient results vary. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Find out if bariatric revision surgery is right for you
No matter which surgeon you worked with in the past, Dr. Oliak is here to help you decide if a bariatric revision surgery is right for you. When you come in for your free, no-obligation consultation, you and Dr. Oliak will discuss your medical history, weight loss goals, and surgical options. Our number one goal is to help you decide what will be safest and most effective for you.
- Coblijn UK, Verveld CJ, van Wagensveld BA, et al. Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy as revisional procedure after adjustable gastric band—a systematic review. Obes Surg. 2013;23(11):1899–914
- Mahawar KK, Graham Y, Carr WR, et al. Revisional Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy: a Systematic Review of Comparative Outcomes with Respective Primary Procedures. Obes Surg. 2015 Jul;25(7):1271-80
- Zhang L, Tan WH, Chang R, et al. Perioperative risk and complications of revisional bariatric surgery compared to primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Surg Endosc. 2015;29(6):1316–20