Gastric Sleeve to Gastric Bypass
One of the most popular bariatric surgery options at our Tijuana, Mexico practice, the gastric sleeve involves reducing the size of the stomach. This restrictive weight loss procedure restricts the amount of food and calories that can be consumed in a single sitting. This limit on calorie consumption leads to weight loss in the long run. Yet sometimes the weight loss hits a wall, and patients wonder what can be done to reach their weight loss and wellness goals.
In these cases, the surgeons of Tijuana Bariatrics may recommend bariatric surgery revision to improve the rate or mechanism for weight loss. A gastric sleeve can be converted into a gastric bypass. Let’s consider how this works and how effective the revision surgery can be.
Why a Gastric Sleeve May Need to Be Revised
For some patients, the restrictive aspect of the gastric sleeve procedure is not enough to promote the long-term weight loss results they’re looking for. The weight loss could plateau, and in some cases the patient regains weight that they have lost a year after the surgery.
When the outcomes of a gastric sleeve are not as effective as they could be, revision is recommended.
Changing a Gastric Sleeve Into a Gastric Bypass
One way to revise a gastric sleeve is to convert the surgery into a gastric bypass. In this surgery, part of the small intestine is rerouted so it bypasses some of the digestive tract. This provides the benefits of restrict weight loss (i.e., reduced calorie consumption) as well as the benefits of malabsorptive weight loss, which reduces the amount of calories absorbed during the digestion process.
Is This Revision Procedure Simple?
Yes. When a gastric sleeve fails, it is relatively easy to convert it into a gastric bypass. It’s one of the more common methods for surgical weight loss revision here at Tijuana Bariatrics. We will carefully assess the health and wellness of the patient to ensure that gastric bypass is the ideal option.
How Effective Is the Revision Surgery?
Revising a gastric sleeve into a gastric bypass can be extremely effective. The improved mechanism of weight loss typically means patients are able to shed excess weight and achieve their various health and wellness goals in the process. This is especially important for people who have experienced a weight loss plateau or who have regained weight after the initial gastric sleeve procedure.
Other Options for Gastric Sleeve Revision
In addition to revising the gastric sleeve into a gastric bypass, there are other options worth considering. Before performing a revision surgery, patients may want to consider modifications to their diet or exercise habits to help promote more weight loss and maintain an ideal weight.
If lifestyle changes do not work, other surgical revision options involve re-sleeving and the duodenal switch. Re-sleeving will further shrink the size of the stomach, while duodena switch will provide malabsorptive weight loss benefits that differ from the gastric bypass conversion. We can go over these two revision methods in greater detail during your consultation.
Learn More About Bariatric Revision Procedures
To learn more about revision bariatric surgery and your many other options for overcoming obesity and morbid obesity, be sure to contact our skilled bariatric surgeons and weight loss doctors. The team at Tijuana Bariatrics can be reached by phone at (664) 634-1974.
