Patient Journey

From beginning to end, the journey for a patient undergoing bariatric care is full of changes. It will require persistence and discipline, but in the end it is all worth it. Feel free to learn more about the patient journey.

What Is Bariatric Revision Surgery?

Bariatric revision surgery is performed to correct issues that may have arisen after a primary weight loss procedure. Although bariatric surgery typically results in a successful outcome with the patient losing weight and maintaining a healthier lifestyle, in some cases, clients need a revision because their results are no longer viable or didn’t go far enough to achieve their initial goals.

Reasons for undergoing revision surgery include the following:

  • Weight gain
  • Ruptured gastric bands
  • Staples that have been compromised
  • An enlarged gastric pouch
  • GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
  • Dysphagia

Revision surgery can be divided into the following types: 

  • Roux-en-Y gastric bypass revision – This procedure is performed to correct an enlarged gastric pouch. It can increase intestinal bypass and decrease stomach size.

  • Gastric sleeve revision – Here, the doctor can add a gastric band, recreate the gastric sleeve, convert the gastric sleeve to a duodenal switch, or turn the gastric sleeve into a gastric bypass.

  • Gastric band removal – If gastric bands are compromising your health, we can remove them and perform a gastric bypass or gastric sleeve.

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Who Is An Ideal Candidate? 

While candidacy will be determined on a case-by-case basis during your private consultation with our team, there are some general qualifications that you should be aware of. Patients pursuing surgery should have already exhausted other weight loss measures such as dieting and exercise and should have a current BMI of over 35. Having health concerns related to your weight, such as sleep apnea, liver disease, and hypertension, may indicate the procedure is necessary. If you’re interested in a gastric bypass revision, you should take the time to understand the procedure in depth and know what is required of you in terms of your lifestyle both before and after your treatment. Our caring practitioners can assist you with a thoughtful discussion about your goals and expectations when you visit our office.



Why Do We Offer Bariatric Revision Surgery?

Often when someone chooses to have bariatric surgery and follows the after-surgery plan, they lose a significant amount of weight and they maintain this weight loss. However, treating obesity is similar to treating other diseases so the reality is that one treatment is not always enough. Sometimes a weight loss procedure will not lead to as much weight loss as the surgeon and patient hope for.

 In other situations, a patient will lose the weight but later regains some or all of that weight. If this has happened to you, you should not feel ashamed or consider this a personal failure. On the contrary, this is the time to contact an expert bariatric revision surgeon.

Our Experience with Bariatric Revision Surgery

At New York Bariatric Group in Long Island, Manhattan, Westchester, New Jersey, and Connecticut, we are the foremost specialists in revisional bariatric surgery. Our program helps patients from different bariatric surgery practices from all over the world. Because of our large experience in caring for these patients who have regained weight, we have carefully crafted a pre-operative and post-operative program that works to ensure long-term success. Our comprehensive program is the difference between learning to live with a failed treatment, and finding ultimate success in a different procedure and aftercare program.

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Is Weight Loss Surgery Revision an Option for Me?

Looking for bariatric revision in New Jersey or the surrounding areas? No matter what bariatric procedure you tried the first time, or what surgeon you worked with, we are happy to talk with you and help you understand your options for revisional treatment.

Sometimes a weight loss surgery fails because it wasn’t done correctly. In other cases it was not the best treatment for the patient and sometimes we will never know why the treatment did not work.

Whatever the case, it is perfectly reasonable for anyone who tried one treatment without success, to have the chance to try a different obesity treatment. Every case is different, so we’ll work with you to evaluate your medical history, reasons for weight regain, lifestyle, and treatment preference when discussing your bariatric revision in NJ or NYC. If you have regained weight after bariatric surgery or the weight loss balloon, please get in touch with us and hear about your options for finding the weight loss, health, and energy you’re looking for.

Types of Revisional Bariatric Surgery

If you’ve had a gastric bypass, you may be eligible for several options:

If you’ve had a lap band, you can have your band removed and be converted to the following:

If you’ve had a sleeve gastrectomy, you may be a candidate for a revision of your sleeve or a gastric bypass:

The choice of revisional procedure is made together with the patient and surgeon, and is specifically tailored to meet each patient’s needs. Please contact us at 800-633-THIN to schedule an appointment with a revisional surgery specialist.

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The staff and surgeons at the New York Bariatric Group are great! So many times I have seen doctors that come across as all-knowing and do not listen to their patients. This is not the case with Dr. Garber and his staff. They are real people that care about their patients. Thank you New York Bariatric Group for saving my life.”

Educational Seminars

We are pleased to announce our educational seminar on Bariatric Revisional Surgery Procedures. Learn about our New York and NJ bariatric revision options such as ROSE and Lap-Band® System over Gastric Bypass procedures that are being performed by our surgeons. We have been among the first in the United States to pioneer and perfect these exciting new options for previous bariatric patients. To register for these programs please click here.

More On Revisional Bariatric Surgery

Dr. Garber is experienced in Revisional Bariatric Surgery, having performed bariatric surgery for 15 years, in the New York area. There are some special concerns that are addressed in any patient undergoing bariatric surgery revision.

Although bariatric surgery is usually quite effective, at times, it does not work as well as one would like. In such instances, a revisional bariatric surgery procedure may be considered.

When contemplating another bariatric operation, we must decide if a revision will work and what the risks of such a procedure will be.

There are several factors that help us make this decision:

  • When the initial operation was performed.
  • Where the initial operation was performed.
  • At what stage the surgeon was in his / her career.
  • The postoperative instructions given after the initial surgery.
  • Initial weight loss history following surgery.
  • Any complications that may have occurred following the initial operation.

The type of bariatric surgery initially performed is very important because some types of surgery have been known to fail or have less long-term success. Obtaining an operative report for your surgery is very helpful. However, if you cannot provide an operative report, we can usually determine the type of surgery simply by knowing when and where it was performed.

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Postoperative Pitfalls

Oftentimes, the postoperative instructions given to patients are incorrect or lacking. Therefore, the patient did not know the best way to use their new “tool”. Even though the patient may be out of the “golden period” for rapid weight loss, they can benefit from proper instruction and guidance.

Weight loss history following the initial surgery tells us if the operation was ever effective or if it was unsuccessful from the very beginning. If postoperative weight loss never occurred or was minimal, it is likely that there was a technical problem with the operation, and surgical revision may be able to correct the problem at the root.

Likewise, complications occurring after the surgery may have led to technical problems that have influenced the durability of the weight loss. Such complications may include intraabdominal infections, ulcerations, band infections, and prolonged vomiting postoperatively. Considering bariatric surgery as a “tool” to be used for long-term weight loss, we must determine if the patient has used their “tool” ineffectively or if the patient’s “tool” does not work. If the “tool” has not been used effectively, we can work with the patient to maximize the effectiveness of the “tool”, before moving forward with revisional surgery. However, if the “tool” is broken or never worked, then a revision may be beneficial.

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Note: A BMI of 30 – 34.9 or BMI 35 – 39.9 with no comorbidities qualify for lap band but is usually not covered by insurance.

One Last Word

Finally, remember that gastric bypass revision operations are more technically challenging and carry a higher complication risk. Patients looking for bariatric revision surgery near them need to seek out very experienced bariatric surgeons that perform revisional bariatric surgery procedures. Not everyone who regains weight or fails to lose as much weight as they would have liked are candidates for revisional bariatric surgery. Because morbid obesity is a multi-factorial disease, a multi-disciplined approach should be utilized to treat patients that have regained or failed to lose weight.

Successful bariatric surgery starts with the operation. Some operations have been done much longer and have been proven to be more durable over time. Postoperative instruction and support are also very important. Snacking behavior, poor water intake, lack of exercise, and poor supplementation intake can all lead to poor outcomes. When patients are being evaluated for a revisional procedure in our program, a consultation with the surgeon is scheduled. At that time all tests are reviewed as well as the operative report, if provided. Our surgeon then assesses the risks of revision bariatric surgery and potential benefits for the patient. If surgery is indicated and the potential risks are understood, our program can provide expert management in revisional bariatric surgery to help you achieve your goal. We have performed more minimally invasive and endoscopic revisional procedures than most bariatric surgeons in the US. Please contact the New York Bariatric Group if you have any weight gain after prior bariatric surgery. We are at the forefront of this new technology and are always looking at ways the newest and most cutting edge technologies.

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Thomas

Lost 145lbs

Thomas' success story

I went in for surgery. An hour later, I came out a new man.

Everybody treated me like a king. The day of surgery, I was excited. The hospital couldn’t be any nicer. I went in for surgery. An hour later, I came out a new man. My recovery was awesome. I was out of bed that day. My wife and kids were my motivation on getting this surgery. They are my whole life. I’m happy I’m going to be around for them.

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Nicole

Lost 76lbs

Nicole's success story

I hit my goal weight ... and I feel fabulous

I had the gastric bypass. I am Type 2 Diabetic and I wanted to gain control of my sugar. I hit my goal weight in about 5 and half months and I feel fabulous. The procedure has completely changed my life for the better because it has empowered me as a middle aged woman that I can really do everything and anything that I want to do. I don't put an age on anything. I don't say I'm too old for something.

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Robert

Lost 76lbs

Robert's success story

I was tired of the way I looked. I was tired of the way I felt.

I knew if I didn't change something soon, I was going to be in a lot of trouble. The consultation process was a lot easier than I expected. I was met with open arms. I was treated like I was the only patient here. Not only did they answer all of my questions, they had questions for me to make sure I was the right candidate for the surgery. After surgery and that weight started dropping off, my life started changing for the better.

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Samantha

Lost 92lbs

Samantha's success story

I feel like a completely different person.

I had the gastric sleeve procedure. The driving factor behind me getting this procedure was my health. I didn't feel good physically or mentally. I had joint pains, even standing was difficult sometimes. Emotionally, this surgery completely turned my life around. I have so much more confidence. So much more happiness. I feel like a completely different person. I feel stronger. I feel able to accomplish more.

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Eileen

Lost 99lbs

Eileen's success story

It saved my life.

The driving factor behind me getting my procedure was that I couldn't get up off the floor with my granddaughter. That was my why. That was my big reason for having this surgery done. After surgery, it was a little bit of a struggle with what to eat. What you put in your mouth that you don't even think about. You don't think about what you're eating or how you're eating and portion size. It's what I do now every single day. The procedure has changed my life in so many ways. It saved my life.

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Brittany

Lost 126lbs

Brittany's success story

I am totally comfortable in my own skin.

I think I always grew up identifying myself as less than other people because I was fat. I decided to tackle that and just live my life. I had a sleeve gastrectomy. It changed how I view myself. How I communicate with people. I'm able to be much more of myself and live the life I always thought I should have been living. I am totally comfortable in my own skin. You have the tools you need to succeed here.

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Desiree

Lost 157lbs

Desiree's success story

I have a brand new life. I can do things I couldn't do before.

I had a vertical sleeve gastrectomy because I had just become diabetic, and I had hypertension for many years. I lost a total of 157 pounds in 11 months. I have a brand new life. I can do things I couldn't do before. Everyone at New York Bariatric Group has been wonderful. They are kind. They are understanding. They make you feel comfortable. They will guide you every step of the way on your journey so that you can be successful.

Listen to Desiree’s testimonial

BMI Calculator

What is your height?

ft
in

What is your weight?

lbs

Your BMI is

Note: A BMI of 30 – 34.9 or BMI 35 – 39.9 with no comorbidities qualify for lap band but is usually not covered by insurance.

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