Revisional Bariatric Surgery
Revisional bariatric surgery is performed to alter or repair a preexisting operation for treatment of morbid obesity. In light of the increasing number of surgical procedures performed, the need to revise and correct operations is also on the rise.
The Center for Weight Loss & Metabolic Medicine is one of
the only weight loss surgery centers in the tri-state area with bariatric surgeons skilled enough to perform revisional bariatric procedures.
Questions About Revisional Surgery
- Will you do my revision if another surgeon
performed the original operation?
Revisional bariatric surgery is one of our specialties, so it’s quite
common for our patients to have received their first bariatric operation from a
different operating surgeon.
- What are the reasons to perform revisional
bariatric surgery?
- Poor weight loss or weight regain.
- Complications of the original procedure. These are generally procedure-specific, e.g., ulcers for RY gastric bypass, slippage for the LAP-BAND, etc.
- Will my insurance provider cover the
procedure?
In general, the coverage by insurance providers for revisional bariatric surgery mirrors that of the primary procedure, e.g.,
if you’re 100 pounds over your ideal weight or you have significant
obesity-related health problems. Many insurance companies require another diet
history.
- Does weight regain after a bariatric operation
“automatically” qualifies me for revisional surgery?
No. Regaining a small amount of weight is common following all
bariatric operations. The key is to limit the amount of weight gain.
If weight control becomes a problem again, you should seek out
your original bariatric surgeon for evaluation. Additionally, we’d be happy to
answer any of your questions. Contact us for assistance.
- What are the results of revisional operations?
In the hands of an experienced bariatric surgeon, the results of
operations for complications are generally good.
Conversely, patients who fail gastric bypass tend to lose less
weight following conversion to a more malabsorptive bariatric procedure.
Additionally, patients who have “popped” their staples usually do well when the
situation is repaired.
- What are the risks of revisional procedures?
Historically, revisional bariatric surgery has been high-risk. Two decades ago, the
overall complication rate approached 50% with a mortality rate as high as 5-10%
in some published reports.
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