Gastric Sleeve Revision Requirements: Restart Your Weight Loss

The excitement of losing weight after gastric sleeve surgery can turn to frustration if the pounds start coming back. This can leave you feeling stuck and wondering if there’s any way to get back on track. Can you get a revision on gastric sleeve surgery? The answer is yes! Gastric sleeve surgery can be revised, offering patients a second chance to meet their weight loss goals. 

From endoscopic gastric sleeve revision to a second surgery, there may be several options available to you based on your health profile. This guide will help you understand gastric sleeve revision requirements and how to move forward in your weight loss journey.

Can a Gastric Sleeve Be Revised?

Yes, a gastric sleeve can be revised, offering patients a second chance at weight loss and better health. If you are experiencing weight regain or complications after gastric sleeve surgery, gastric sleeve revision can help you get back on track. You must meet certain requirements to be eligible, and there are minimally invasive options available to those who qualify.

Gastric Sleeve Revision Requirements

Patients must meet certain gastric sleeve revision requirements to ensure that the procedure is both safe and effective. Here’s what they typically include:

• At Least One Year Post Surgery: It must be at least one year since your initial surgery to allow enough time to see results.

• Weight Regain or Insufficient Weight Loss: If your initial weight loss was insufficient, or you lost weight initially but gained it back, you may qualify for gastric sleeve revision.

• BMI Requirements: For non-surgical options like Bariendo’s Sleeve In Sleeve (SIS) procedure, your BMI must be 30 or higher, or 27-29.9, with at least one obesity-related comorbidity. However, if your BMI is 40 or higher or 35 with a medical condition related to obesity, a surgical revision may be a better fit.

• No Severe Gastric Reflux: If you suffer from severe acid reflux or GERD, you may not qualify for endoscopic or surgical re-sleeve procedures. Conversion to gastric bypass is usually a better option for these patients.

Not sure if you meet the requirements for gastric sleeve revision? This two-minute quiz can help you determine your eligibility and find the best solution for your needs.

Why Consider a Gastric Sleeve Revision?

If weight regain or complications after gastric sleeve surgery are holding you back from achieving your weight loss goals, you’re not alone. Here are some of the most common reasons why patients consider a gastric sleeve revision:

Reignite Weight Loss

Some patients experience insufficient weight loss, weight loss stalls, or weight regain after gastric sleeve surgery. This can happen for several reasons. The stomach can stretch over time due to overeating, reducing the restrictive effects of your original surgery and allowing you to eat more. 

Unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise can also slow or reverse weight loss progress. A gastric sleeve revision, such as the non-surgical SIS procedure, can help to restore the restrictive effects of the initial surgery, giving you a second chance to make the necessary lifestyle changes required for long-term success.

Correct Post-Surgical Complications

In some cases, complications after gastric sleeve surgery can lead to discomfort or interfere with successful weight loss. Revision procedures or conversion to gastric bypass may be required to address these issues and get you back on track.

• Gastric Sleeve Stretching: Over time, the size of the stomach pouch can stretch and expand, allowing you to eat more food. A non-surgical revision, such as the SIS procedure, is highly-effective for restoring the stomach’s smaller size to help you regain the benefits of your original surgery.

• Acid Reflux (GERD): Severe acid reflux, or GERD, is a common complication after gastric sleeve surgery. For patients with this issue, a conversion to gastric bypass may help alleviate these symptoms.

What Are Your Gastric Sleeve Revision Options?

If you’re considering a gastric sleeve revision, there are several options available to you depending on your specific needs and health profile. Let’s take a look at both non-surgical and surgical revision options to help you understand which might be the best fit for you.

Non-Surgical Gastric Sleeve Revision (SIS)

Endoscopic gastric sleeve revision, known as the Sleeve-In-Sleeve (SIS) procedure, is a non-invasive option designed to restore the restrictive effects of the original surgery. It helps patients regain control of their weight loss journey without the need for another major surgery.

The SIS procedure is performed using an endoscope, which is inserted through the mouth into the stomach, eliminating the need for external incisions. Specialized suturing tools are used to tighten and reduce the size of the stomach pouch, restoring it to a smaller, more restrictive shape similar to the original surgery.

The benefits of SIS include:

• No Incisions: Since the procedure is done endoscopically, there are no external incisions or scars.

• Quicker Recovery: This non-surgical weight loss procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and only takes about 30-45 minutes. Patients can go home the same day and return to their normal activities, including exercise, in just 1-3 days.

• Non-Invasive: Due to its non-invasive nature, SIS is a low risk option, with fewer complications and less downtime compared to revisional gastric surgery.

• Highly Effective: Patients can expect an average of 15% weight loss after the procedure, with 82% of patients losing at least 10% of their body weight.

• Improved Satiety and Fewer Cravings: The reduced stomach size promotes a feeling of fullness earlier during meals, so you feel satisfied while eating less. The procedure also reduces production of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, so you feel less hungry and have fewer cravings.

The SIS procedure is ideal for patients who:

• Have previously undergone gastric sleeve surgery and experienced weight regain due to an enlarged stomach sleeve.

• Do not have severe acid reflux or GERD.

• Have a BMI of 30 or higher, or 27-29.9 with obesity related comorbidities.

• Are looking for a non-invasive option with minimal downtime to help them get back on track with their weight loss goals.

Success with any weight loss procedure depends on your commitment to healthy eating and lifestyle habits. At Bariendo, our compassionate team will provide the guidance you need to make changes that will support your results for years to come.

Surgical Re-Sleeve

Surgical Re-Sleeve is a second gastric sleeve surgery designed to restore the restrictive effects of the initial surgery, helping patients regain control over their weight loss. During the procedure, your surgeon will remove an additional portion of the stomach to reduce its size even further, limiting the amount of food you can eat by creating a smaller pouch.

This surgery is performed in the hospital, and a short hospital stay is required to ensure that there aren’t any post-surgical complications. Due to the invasive nature of the procedure, it may be several weeks before patients can return to work, exercise, and other daily activities.

Benefits of Surgical Re-Sleeve:

• Increased Restriction: A re-sleeve can restore or improve the restriction of the stomach, allowing for better portion control.

• Suitable for Substantial Weight Regain: Patients who have experienced significant weight regain after their original surgery can benefit from the decreased stomach size provided by surgical re-sleeve.

Surgical Re-Sleeve is an Option for Patients Who:

• Have experienced significant weight regain due to a stretched stomach pouch.

• Have a BMI over 40, or 35+ with obesity related comorbidities.

• Do not suffer from GERD or other health conditions that might make invasive surgery risky. 

As with any surgery, there is a risk of infection, bleeding, stomach leaks, and scarring associated with surgical re-sleeve. It’s also important to know that the alterations made during this surgery are permanent and cannot be reversed.

Surgical Conversion to Gastric Bypass

For patients who have experienced severe acid reflux or GERD after gastric sleeve surgery, a surgical conversion to gastric bypass may be the only option for revision.

During the surgery, a much smaller stomach pouch is created and connected directly to the small intestine, bypassing a large portion of the digestive system. This dual approach reduces food intake and limits calorie absorption, promoting significant weight loss and rapid weight loss, and often resolving issues like GERD.

This procedure is highly invasive and requires an extended hospital stay as well as many weeks of recovery time. Due to the nature of the surgery, nutrient deficiencies are common and most patients require lifelong supplementation.

Benefits of Surgical Conversion to Gastric Bypass:

• Substantial Weight Loss: Combining a smaller stomach with a bypass of part the digestive system leads to substantial and rapid weight loss (30% or more).

• GERD Management: Revision from gastric sleeve to bypass due to reflux offers an effective solution for GERD and related symptoms.

Surgical Conversion to Gastric Bypass is an Option for Patients Who:

• Are suffering from severe acid reflux or GERD after gastric sleeve.

• Need a more dramatic solution due to significant weight regain.

• Have a BMI of 40 or higher, or 35+ with obesity related comorbidities.

While conversion to gastric bypass offers powerful benefits for some patients, it is a far more complex and invasive surgery with a higher potential for risks like infection, bleeding, and post-surgical pain. Additionally, the anatomical changes and irreversibility of this procedure should be carefully considered.

Looking for a Second Chance at Weight Loss?

Gastric sleeve revision offers patients a second chance at achieving the weight loss and health improvements they deserve. The key to success lies in not only choosing the right procedure, but also in committing to lifelong lifestyle changes that will support your weight loss journey.

You can trust our team of bariatric endoscopy experts to help you find the solution that’s right for you and guide you toward better health and lasting results. Schedule your free consultation today and learn how Bariendo can help you get back on the path to weight loss success!