Are you underwhelmed by the results of your lap band surgery? You are not alone. Within the past several years, 20 to 30 percent of lap band or gastric adjustable band patients didn’t think the procedure was worth the time and expense. Perhaps you are not achieving the results you were expecting. Regardless of your individual circumstances, Dr. Ricardo M. Bonnor, M.D, FACS, a double board certified surgeon is ready to help you and trigger your transformation into a slimmer, healthier new you.
Texas Endosurgery Associates, in Houston, has been helping patients with obesity using the latest technique in weight loss surgery. If you’ve been thinking about weight loss surgery solutions, it’s time to learn more. Schedule a consultation with our courteous and professional staff. Call us at (281) 579-5638 or, if you prefer, you can arrange for a Virtual Consultation and meet with us remotely!
Contents
About
There are many reasons for failure of a gastric band or lap band, the most common being an intrinsic failure of the band itself, resulting in poor weight loss. Recent data suggest that at least 15% to 25% of laparoscopic adjustable gastric bands or lap bands will be converted to another bariatric procedure such as a Sleeve or Gastric Bypass.[1] At Texas Endosurgery Associates, in Houston, we have a team experienced with various revision surgery options. We will sit down and discuss your previous experience with the gastric band and evaluate the various revision options available to you
Can You Get Sleeve After Lap Band?
The studies show that upgrading your lap band to another bariatric procedure, like the sleeve, is feasible and most importantly very safe.[2] The lap band had a period of popularity after its introduction in 2001. As a minimally-invasive weight loss procedure, many overweight patients opted for the lap band at the time. However, recent reports have shown that there is an increased rate of complications or failure leading to poor weight loss results. If your choice is a purely restrictive procedure, our results in Houston show that a longitudinal sleeve gastrectomy is the best surgical option compared to a lap band.
Benefits of a Lap Band Removal or Revision
Our experience has shown us that a majority of patients with an adjustable gastric band or lap band don’t experience adequate weight loss results. Typically, the most common reason for removal would be if a patient can’t lose enough weight or, worse yet, regains the weight. In these scenarios, lap band removal and conversion to another, more effective bariatric procedure may be appropriate.
Furthermore, a patient may need a lap band removal or revision if they experience symptoms of lap band intolerance. Lap band intolerance is a distressing complication that some patients experience after lap band surgery.[3]
Symptoms of Lap Band Intolerance:
- Excessive nausea
- Vomiting
- Difficulty swallowing
- Pain after eating
Beware of Band Slippage
Band slippage may be another reason for the removal of a lap band and conversion to a subsequent bariatric operation. A band slippage occurs when the band moves down the stomach, creating a bigger pouch above it. Some patients may also develop new heartburn symptoms after a lap band procedure. For patients with severe heartburn symptoms that do not respond to anti-acid medications, lap band removal may relieve the symptoms.
With long-term use of the lap band, some patients may develop esophageal dilation (expansion of tissue), dysmotility (lack of movement) or esophagitis (inflammation). Because of these issues, we do not perform the adjustable gastric band, more commonly known as the “lap band” procedure at Texas Endosurgery Associates, in Houston.
If you are experiencing any of these issues related to your gastric band, we specialize in both the removal and conversion of an adjustable gastric band into another, more suitable, surgical weight loss treatment.
Before and After Photos
Qualified Candidates
Before proceeding with a revision, it is imperative to perform an adequate evaluation of the patient’s anatomy. To perform this, an upper endoscopy and an x-ray (where the patient drinks a contrast liquid) are typically required. Removal of the band and conversion to a sleeve or bypass can often be done in one stage. If there is extensive scar tissue, however, it is often better to let that heal and then proceed with a sleeve or bypass several months later. Typically, we do not use drains for either revision. The average length of stay for a revision to a sleeve gastrestomy is one night. We typically hold patients one to two nights if they are revising to a gastric bypass.
Your Private Consultation at Texas Endosurgery
Dr. Ricardo M. Bonnor, M.D., FACS, FASMBS, is proud to serve his community with the most advanced and effective treatments in bariatric medicine. At Texas Endosurgery Associates, in Houston, we want to help you realize your goals. Read all of our positive reviews to witness our past patients’ success stories.
Take control and improve your health. But you must act! Schedule a consultation with our courteous and professional staff. Call us at (281) 579-5638. We are now offering Virtual Consultations so that you can take your first steps toward a powerful transformation.
More about Lap Band Revision?
Lap band revision can include removing a slipped band, switching from a band to a sleeve or revising to a gastric bypass. If you have experienced issues because of your lap band procedure, or if you are not pleased with your results, we invite you to consider one of these lap band revision procedures.
Band-to-Sleeve Revision
During this type of conversion, the gastric band and gastric port are taken out and revised to sleeve.
Band-to-Bypass Revision
Removal of the band and conversion to a bypass is typically performed in one stage.[4] With a bypass, we can generally work around the scar tissue as we upgrade your chances for future weight loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file a Lap Band Revision with my insurance?
Dr. Bonnor can’t wait to see if you’re a good fit for lap band revision surgery. At your private consultation, he will review your history and listen to your story. After we have a full accounting of your needs, we will provide a quote. Financing options are available.
Does Insurance Cover Lap Band Revision?
In many cases, when the initial procedure is causing severe medical threats, the revisional procedure may be covered by medical insurance providers. Each case is entirely different, so the best thing you can do is schedule a consultation with our courteous and professional staff.
What is a lap band revision?
In a lap band revision, your surgeon will remove your lap band and revise your procedure to another more effective bariatric surgery, such as gastric bypass surgery or a sleeve gastrectomy. These surgeries are still performed laparoscopically and also now with the Davinci robot system, which means they’re less invasive than traditional open surgery.
Can you get weight loss surgery twice?
In some cases, a revision procedure or a second weight loss surgery is necessary to create the results you sought from your initial lap band surgery. Many lap band devices have caused complications since their initial introduction more than a decade ago. For this reason, many surgeons no longer perform the lap band procedure.
References
- Altieri, M. S., Yang, J., Telem, D. A., Meng, Z., Frenkel, C., Halbert, C., … Pryor, A. D. (2015). Lap band outcomes from 19,221 patients across centers and over a decade within the state of New York. Surgical Endoscopy, 30(5), 1725–1732. doi: 10.1007/s00464-015-4402-8
- Carlin, A. M., Zeni, T. M., English, W. J., Hawasli, A. A., Genaw, J. A., Krause, K. R., … Birkmeyer, N. J. O. (2013). The Comparative Effectiveness of Sleeve Gastrectomy, Gastric Bypass, and Adjustable Gastric Banding Procedures for the Treatment of Morbid Obesity. Annals of Surgery, 257(5), 791–797. doi: 10.1097/sla.0b013e3182879ded
- Spivak, H., Beltran, O. R., Slavchev, P., & Wilson, E. B. (2007). Laparoscopic revision from LAP-BAND® to gastric bypass. Surgical Endoscopy, 21(8), 1388–1392. doi: 10.1007/s00464-007-9223-y
- Wageningen, B. V., Berends, F., Ramshorst, B. V., & Janssen, I. (2006). Revision of Failed Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding to Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass. Obesity Surgery, 16(2), 137–141. doi: 10.1381/096089206775565212