Gastric revision surgery is a procedure performed after an initial weight loss surgery. If you’ve had weight loss surgery before, you may be eligible for gastric revision surgery if you’re experiencing complications such as recurrent vomiting and abdominal pain. This type of surgery can sometimes convert previous gastric surgeries, like vertical banded gastroplasty, jejuno-ileal bypass, or gastric stapling, into a gastric bypass or it can redo a previous gastric bypass.
Currently, there are no proven procedures to address weight regain following bariatric surgery. Over time, the stomach pouch and the outlet to the small intestine may expand slightly after gastric bypass, but there is no confirmed correlation between this enlargement and weight gain. Following sleeve gastrectomy surgery, the stomach will stretch, although this is not expected to significantly alter the feeling of fullness.
The risks associated with gastric revision surgery are higher due to the formation of scar tissue around the stomach and nearby organs, such as the spleen, liver, and pancreas. The process of dissecting this scar tissue during revision surgery can lead to potential injury to these organs. Patients should be aware that revision surgery involves a higher risk of complications.
Insurance typically does not cover revision surgery that is performed due to weight regain.
Dartmouth Health offers gastric revision surgery at Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics in Manchester and Concord, New Hampshire, and at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. For more information, you can review the details for each location below.
At Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics Manchester and Concord, those considering gastric revision surgery should contact the clinics for additional information.
At Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, those interested in gastric revision surgery need to send the following information:
- A detailed history of weight and diet attempts
- A recent history and physical, including health problems, allergies, medications, current height and weight, and a letter of endorsement from your doctor
- An operative report and discharge summary from the initial surgery
After receiving this information, the medical center will schedule an upper gastrointestinal (GI) series (X-ray) and an upper endoscopy, which must be done at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. Once the upper GI series has been reviewed, you will be contacted for further evaluation. If you are deemed a candidate for revision, you will proceed through the standard pre-surgery steps. Additionally, you can attend an “Introduction to the Bariatric Surgery” program meeting before any testing is done if desired.
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Obesity & Metabolic Surgery