Sydney Revision Bariatric Surgery - Advanced Surgicare

Failed Obesity Surgery Solutions

Many Sydney bariatric surgery patients achieve successful weight loss with a single bariatric surgery. However, other patients may require a secondary, or revision, procedure if they experienced a failed obesity surgery the first time. Dr. V. Kuzinkovas of Advanced Surgicare can help. His extensive experience performing revision weight loss procedures allows him to guide revision surgery patients through the process of deciding which course of treatment is appropriate for them.

Reasons Revision Bariatric Surgery Is Performed

There are several reasons that an individual might pursue revision bariatric surgery. For example, some patients have the procedure because they did not lose enough excess weight after their first procedure. Other individuals may consider their initial bariatric procedure a failed obesity surgery because they were unable to resolve their co-morbid health concerns. Still others have suffered medical or health complications as a result of their first bariatric surgery. The following is a comprehensive look at the most common reasons individuals pursue revision weight loss surgery in Sydney.

Inadequate Weight Loss or Weight Regain

The most common reason that individuals pursue revision weight loss surgery is that they failed to lose their desired amount of weight. The reason for this varies by person. However, patients generally fail to lose their excess weight or regain the weight they lost for one of the following reasons:

The individual did not adopt healthier eating habits or make healthier lifestyle choices overall.
The type of weight loss surgery that the patient had initially did not address his or her metabolic needs.
The mechanical and / or anatomical modifications that the bariatric surgeon made during the primary procedure were not preserved. For instance, the Lap Band slipped, easing food restriction or the smaller stomach pouch stretched out, allowing increased food consumption.

At Advanced Surgicare, Dr. Kuzinkovas, a leading Sydney weight loss surgeon, evaluates each person’s medical history, surgical history and lifestyle choices to identify the cause of the failed obesity surgery. Doing so allows the surgeon to address the problem during the secondary bariatric procedure.

For example, if the Lap Band has slipped, leading to increased food consumption, Dr. Kuzinkovas will reposition and retighten the device during the revision procedure. If the stomach pouch has stretched out, allowing the patient’s food intake to increase, Dr. Kuzinkovas may be able to re-trim the enlarged stomach pouch or choose a different weight loss technique during revision surgery.

Unresolved Co-Morbid Health Problems

If a patient is unable to resolve his or her obesity-related co-morbid health problem with the first bariatric surgery, the procedure may be deemed a failed obesity surgery, and the patient may require a revision procedure.

Usually, poor resolution of co-morbid health issues coincides with insufficient weight loss. In addition, insufficient weight loss may be the result of metabolic failure. Therefore, when Dr. Kuzinkovas addresses an unresolved co-morbid condition, he often takes the same approach as he does when addressing metabolic failure. For example, the Sydney bariatric surgeon may suggest converting the failed obesity surgery to a procedure that better fosters metabolic action (e.g., converting the initial Lap Band procedure to gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery).

Complications Following Weight Loss Surgery

Health complications resulting from a primary weight loss procedure can also warrant a revision procedure. Possible complications include vitamin deficiencies, anemia, malnutrition and ulcers, among others. The type of complication the patient is experiencing determines which course of action Dr. Kuzinkovas will take with the revision procedure. In certain cases, reversing the primary weight loss procedure (provided it is reversible) is the only option.

Risks of Revision Bariatric Surgery

The decision to pursue a secondary surgical weight loss procedure should not be made lightly, as there are increased risks related to revision surgery. Specific complications that could occur with revision bariatric surgery include:

A lengthier surgery
An increased chance of suffering blood loss
The need to perform the revision procedure with an “open” surgical approach instead of the less-invasive laparoscopic approach
An increased risk of infections and leaks

Revision Bariatric Surgery Results

Individual weight loss results from revision weight loss surgery can vary depending on certain factors, such as the reason that the secondary procedure is needed. Also, weight loss from revision bariatric surgery is typically less extensive than with the primary procedure.

How to Get Help After Failed Obesity Surgery

It may be difficult to seek help after a failed obesity surgery. However, you should never feel ashamed or embarrassed to do so. The only way to correct the problem that occurred with the primary bariatric procedure is to address the matter with a compassionate, well-qualified bariatric surgeon, such as Dr. Kuzinkovas.

Examples of weight loss revision procedures

To schedule an appointment with our weight loss surgeon in Sydney, Dr. Kuzinkovas, and to find out if you could benefit from revision bariatric surgery, contact Advanced Surgicare Clinic by calling 1300 551 533.