TREATMENTS
Revision bariatric surgery
If you’ve had previous weight loss surgery and have struggled with weight regain, suffered a complication with your band, or had a problem with side effects such as reflux or regurgitation, then you can consider revising your procedure to re-start your weight loss journey effectively.
Bands can be converted to a sleeve or bypass procedure. Sleeve can be converted to a bypass and bypass or sleeve can have a band applied to them to make them tighter. If the outlet of the gastric bypass pouch has stretched an endoscopic suturing procedure may help to make it tighter. Additionally, sleeve procedures can be converted into a mini-bypass procedure.
The range of possibilities is large and we do not expect you to be able to make a decision on your own. Booking a consultation with your Bariatric Surgeon is essential, so that we may better understand your situation, undertake a full assessment and advise you on the best options.
About this package
There are lots of different procedures that might be appropriate, and so it is not possible to provide a standard all-inclusive package. Your consultant will put together a bespoke package tailored to your needs. As a guide, you can expect the following:
Revision package
Bespoke packages tailored to your needs include:
An initial consultation with an experienced Bariatric Surgeon to go through all of the options and discuss your individual case.
Can include performing pre-operative tests/investigations to identify the causes of failure and weight regain
Conversion procedure can be performed as a single-stage, or may sometimes require 2 stages (i.e. removal of the band followed by sleeve gastrectomy as separate procedures)
One year follow ups with surgeon and dietician
Revision Surgery FAQs
Is surgery the only option for weight regain?
No. For some individuals weight regain has occurred due to a loss of the control mechanisms which were delicately established following their first weight loss surgery. After an assessment with our Bariatric Consultant, it sometimes becomes apparent that all that is required is a medically supervised weight loss program with medication aids to help regain that control and avoiding surgery.
Do I have to be a certain BMI to be eligible for a conversion procedure?
This is where a full assessment is required, as it will become apparent what your starting BMI was prior to having your initial weight loss procedure. Generally, a BMI of 35 or above would qualify you, however if you are below this because you have suffered a complication or remain below 35 but on an upward trend you would still be considered for revision surgery.
What is the price of a conversion procedure?
As these procedures require preliminary tests which then determine the technical difficulty and feasible conversion options, it is difficult to price them collectively. An inclusive package price will be costed and quoted to you prior to proceeding.
Are there complications to conversion procedures?
Generally there are short term and long term risks. The short term risks include bleeding, infection and a small risk of leakage from internal joins or staple lines. Although these risks are small, they are usually greater than having a primary procedure due to the previous scar tissue and surgical change. Long term risks include forming hernias, nutritional deficiencies, failing to lose weight or weight regain.
Should I be considering a conversion procedure?
It depends on your weight and any weight related health conditions that may have developed since your primary procedure. It could also be your personal choice due to symptoms such as reflux or regurgitation which have become troublesome. We would be pleased to discuss these points and offer a full appraisal of the situation to help you make a decision before you proceed. We have helped many others who’ve had their band, sleeve or bypass performed overseas or many years ago, restart their weight loss journeys.