Obesity often comes with a risk of many diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure with severe physical and mental health impacts. Bariatric surgeries are intended to reduce weight permanently but there is a possibility of weight regaining again after 2-10 years. There are multiple factors that can lead to weight gain post a bariatric surgery such as stretching of the bag or sleeve after a gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery and this is why bariatric surgeons offer revision weight loss surgery options to patients. In this blog, we will have a look at the reasons for weight gain and why you can consider getting a revision weight loss surgery.
What is Revisional Weight Loss Surgery?
Revisional weight loss surgery is done to fix or alter a prior weight loss surgery. It is generally advised for patients who have previously undergone stomach stapling, gastroplasty surgery, or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery and have gained weight or are experiencing other health issues. Bariatric surgeries are mostly successful, but it is possible that your previous surgery is no longer effective for your body. Apart from weight gain, ulcers, pouch expansion, or the loosening of a lap band are some of the frequent side effects of a failed weight loss surgery. If you are experiencing difficulties from your initial treatment, have less-than-ideal weight reduction, or have regained the weight you can discuss the possibility of getting a revision weight loss surgery with a doctor. Revisional surgeries are now carried out laparoscopically, although in a very small percentage of cases, previous surgery may have left severe scarring, necessitating open surgery.
What causes Weight Gain after Bariatric Surgery?
There could be many reasons for a slow weight gain or no weight loss after bariatric surgery. Usually, the first few months following bariatric surgery are when patients experience significant weight loss. A large part of this can be attributed to smaller stomach post surgery, altered digestive tracts, and hunger signals, and the extremely restricted diets patients are recommended to follow. The human body’s innate capacity for preservation allows the metabolism to adapt by either speeding up or slowing down in response to any changes in the body and this may go haywire in case the surgery doesn’t work for your body. There is also a possibility of the rearranged stomach and digestive system becoming enlarged or loose, and people overeating. In some cases, surgeries performed earlier start to cause complications in patients, forcing them to consider revisional bariatric surgery.
Some of the possible factors for increase in weight after a weight loss surgery are:
- Dilation of the outlets made during your initial operation
- Poor nutrition practises
- Difficulties with self-worth (which can lead to stress eating)
- Fistula (i.e. an abnormal opening)
- Stretched-out bag or sleeve
Why consider Revised Weight Loss Surgery?
The fact that bariatric revision can be done as an outpatient procedure means that there isn’t a lengthy recuperation period. But there are higher risks involved and this is why a thorough consultation with a surgeon is necessary. If you have seen poor weight loss results or excessive weight gain, and are experiencing complications after a weight loss surgery, then revised weight loss surgery might be required. The following are some of the problems for which patients may be recommended a revisional bariatric surgery:
- Undesirable weight loss results
- Problems with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Nausea
- Trouble in swallowing
- Broken Staples
- Rupture or displacement of gastric bands
- Repositioned Gastric band ports
- Enlarged gastric pouch
How is Revisional Weight loss Surgery Performed?
There are a number of revised weight loss surgeries that are performed including band to bypass revision, band to sleeve revision, and sleeve to bypass revision. Surgeons can aid patients using a variety of procedures, such as:
- Decreasing the stomach’s size even more. Endoscopic sutures can usually be used to accomplish this without making large incisions
- Tightening or resizing the stretched-out stomach pouch. Sutures can be used for this, as mentioned above, or occasionally sclerosant containing sodium morrhuate injections can be used to do this. The stomach shrinks after receiving these endoscopic injections
- Reducing the size of your stomach pouch’s link to your small intestine
- Changing the type of surgery you had, such as going from a gastric sleeve to a gastric bypass or a gastric bypass to a duodenal switch.
Wrap Up
Obesity is a progressive condition and issues may occur after surgical interventions. Revisional weight loss surgery is a part of an escalation of therapy or correction after any postoperative issues, as mentioned in the blog or after other interventions such as in oncology, arthroplasties, and heart surgeries. When considering revision bariatric surgery in Dallas, do enough research to find and consult a surgeon known to have conducted several successful revision surgeries including gastric band surgery to bypass revision and band to sleeve revision surgeries in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
