If you’ve undergone bariatric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery and later gained weight, it can be nothing short of devastating, and unfortunately, about half of the people who undergo gastric bypass regain weight within 24 months.
At Atlantic Medical Group, gastroenterologist Eric Ibegbu, MD, wants you to know that if you’re struggling with weight gain after a gastric bypass, you’re not out of options.
In partnership with Apollo endosurgery, our team offers bariatric revision, a specialized procedure designed specifically for the gastric surgery patients who have regained weight.
If you fall into this category, we encourage you to visit us in our Kinston or Jacksonville, North Carolina, office and find out if bariatric revision is right for you.
In the meantime, here’s a general overview of what bariatric revision is and when we recommend it.
During your initial gastric bypass surgery, your surgeon created a gastric pouch. This pouch serves as the connection between your stomach and small bowel. The pouch is much smaller than your stomach, so you feel fuller quicker, eat less, and lose weight.
But over time, the gastric outlet, which connects your gastric pouch to your small intestine, can dilate. When your gastric outlet widens, you’re more likely to eat more and feel less full 一 two things that contribute to weight regain.
This is where bariatric revision comes into play. Bariatric revision is a minimally invasive procedure that corrects or “revises” the size of your gastric outlet. For this reason, bariatric revision is sometimes called transoral gastric outlet reduction.
During the procedure, Dr. Ibegbu inserts an endoscope, a thin tube that contains a camera and specialized tools, into your stomach. Thanks to the camera, Dr. Ibegbu can perform the entire procedure through this tube, without large incisions.
Dr. Ibegbu surgically sutures the gastric outlet to reduce its diameter using the highly advanced Apollo OverStitch™ system.
Afterward, you’re on a modified diet for a few weeks, but rest assured, Dr. Ibegbu provides all of the instruction and guidance you need for a smooth recovery. With the gastric outlet reduced in size, you’ll find that you feel fuller earlier in your meals and that your weight loss resumes.
Dr. Ibegbu may recommend revisional bariatric surgery if:
As with your original procedure, it’s important to stay committed to a healthy lifestyle to ensure long-term success.
One of the biggest reasons to consider a bariatric revision is that it can help you break through weight loss plateaus, overcome weight regain, and achieve your weight loss goals.
You might also consider a bariatric revision because:
If you’re a post-bypass patient struggling with weight regain, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. You can use our online tool or call the location of your choice — Kinston or Jacksonville, North Carolina — to find out if bariatric revision is right for you.
