Gastric sleeve surgery is the most performed bariatric weight loss surgery today, with almost 170,000 completed each year. You may know this surgery as vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), or laparoscopic gastric sleeve, but these terms all refer to the same surgical procedure that involves surgically removing about 80% of an individual’s stomach.
Most individuals lose a significant amount of weight in the first year after surgery; some do not get the results they are looking for, and others experience substantial weight loss initially and then end up gaining most or all of the weight back. This allows all of the weight-related conditions they were dealing with before their surgery to reoccur.
Are there options for patients who regain weight after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery? The answer is yes, and today we are going to talk about both surgical and non-surgical options these individuals have to get their weight loss back on track. We will answer the questions: Can you convert gastric sleeve to bypass? How much weight can you lose with a sleeve to bypass revision? And how successful is gastric bypass revision? Next, we will provide information on an alternative that is much less invasive, lower risk and has a much shorter recovery period, which may be better than even the best revision surgery for gastric sleeve.
Why Does Weight Gain Happen After Gastric Sleeve?
Many people manage to keep the weight off, but around a quarter of patients begin regaining weight within two years, and nearly half regain weight within five years. This can happen for several reasons, but the most common is failing to make permanent lifestyle changes. Surgery is a great tool for helping patients overcome some of the challenging parts of losing weight, but the patient will have to do the majority of the work. Some of the reasons patients begin to regain weight after gastric sleeve include issues with the following:
- Permanent dietary changes
- Maintaining a healthy weight after having gastric sleeve surgery requires consistently eating a healthy diet and practicing portion control. Failing to make permanent changes to your diet, including avoiding unhealthy food choices, can significantly impact your weight loss success. Overeating or drinking liquids too soon after meals can cause the stomach to gradually stretch out, and as the stomach stretches, it becomes possible to eat larger portions. It takes more food to feel satisfied, so the individual begins to eat more at each meal, and this cycle can continue until the stomach stretches so much that it reverts back to its original storage capacity and results in weight gain.
- Getting enough physical exercise
- Individuals must also get enough exercise to maintain a healthy weight. A calorie deficit must be created in order to experience weight loss, and exercise is a key component in reaching a calorie deficit. It is necessary to burn more calories than you consume to lose weight and create a balance of calories if you wish to maintain your current weight.
- Other lifestyle elements
- Many people do not understand how complex weight loss is and that there are many elements that can affect how your body responds to your weight loss efforts. Things like unmanaged stress, poor quality or inadequate sleep, and not drinking enough water can sabotage the rest of your hard work.
- First surgery was ineffective
- Sometimes, gastric sleeve surgery might not have been the best fit for the patient, or their stomach may not have been reduced enough during the procedure, which limited their ability to lose weight.
What Is A Sleeve To Bypass Revision?
A sleeve-to-bypass revision is a follow-up surgery for patients who have previously had gastric sleeve surgery but are struggling with weight regain or unresolved side effects. What happens in a sleeve-to-bypass revision is that the gastric sleeve is converted into a gastric bypass, which involves creating a smaller stomach pouch and rerouting part of the patient’s small intestine. This reduces the amount of food they can eat and also limits the calories and nutrients that the body can absorb.
A revision not only helps with weight loss, but it can also provide relief for patients who experience ongoing side effects like acid reflux. As many as 20% of patients choose to have surgery for revision from sleeve to bypass due to reflux.
Surgically converting a gastric sleeve to a gastric bypass, even using minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, is a more complex procedure compared to an initial bypass. This is because it involves working with stomach tissue that has already been altered during the first surgery, which makes it more difficult and riskier.
What Is The Best Revision Surgery For Gastric Sleeve
The best and safest revision option to restart weight loss after a gastric sleeve is a non-surgical endoscopic revision procedure called an SIS (sleeve-in-sleeve). During this procedure, the doctor uses an innovative suturing technique to manipulate and secure sections of the stomach together to reduce its usable capacity.
A special tool called an endoscope, which is a long, flexible tube-like device equipped with a light and camera, is gently lowered down the throat and is used by the doctor to gain access to the patient’s stomach. The doctor administers sutures from inside the stomach so there are no incisions created, and the blood supply and nerves surrounding the stomach are left unaffected, so the digestion process is unaltered.
An endoscopic revision can help restart weight loss and provide a second chance for individuals to improve their health because they feel full faster and stay satisfied longer. Most patients can return to their daily routine within just a few days.
How Much Weight Can You Lose After A Gastric Sleeve Revision?
Each individual’s weight loss potential will depend on their current situation and the type of revision they are looking for.
Some patients may desire to convert their gastric sleeve to a gastric bypass, which is a surgical procedure that is very complex and has a long recovery time. This type of revision usually yields weight loss results of between 60% and 65% of their excess weight.
Most individuals would rather choose a less invasive option to help them get their weight loss journey back on track. The endoscopic SIS bariatric revision procedure has significantly fewer risks and a much shorter recovery time.
The weight loss potential after an endoscopic gastric sleeve revision will significantly depend on the individual’s dedication to making permanent lifestyle choices that actively promote weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight. Dedicated patients who undergo a SIS revision can lose between 7% and 17% of their total starting body weight in a year.
Where Can I Learn More About Getting Help To Restart Weight Loss After Gastric Sleeve?
If you have previously undergone gastric sleeve surgery and you have not experienced the weight loss you wanted or initially lost weight just to gain it back, Reveal Weight Loss can help get you back on track!
The experts at Reveal Weight Loss can restore the restrictive capabilities of your original gastric sleeve surgery without the use of incisions, a hospital stay, or a long recovery time. Everyone deserves a second chance, and we are here to help you make it count. Set up your consultation today with Reveal Weight Loss and find out how an endoscopic revision to gastric sleeve surgery can benefit you.
