Gastric Bypass after Lap Band Surgery
Obesity poses a threat to an individual’s overall health. Excessive weight can limit physical functions, and increase the risk of a number of health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.
Unfortunately, when a person is overweight, it can be difficult to lose weight with diet and exercise. Gastric bypass surgery alters the stomach and digestive tract to make it easier for a patient to lose significant weight.
But gastric bypass is not always a patient’s first choice. Many choose the minimally invasive lap band procedure. A lap band procedure can be effective, but complications are also common. Bariatric surgeon Francisco Gonzalez offers gastric bypass after lap band surgery so that our Tijuana, Mexico patients can achieve or maintain the weight loss results they desire.
Reasons for Lap Band Removal
The primary reason for lap band removal is surgical failure due to lap band complications. Some patients may experience complications right away, while other may have a lap band in place for several years before issues arise.
Common lap band complications include:
- Severe heartburn or gastric reflux
- Persistent nausea or vomiting
- Esophageal dilation
- Lap band slippage
- Lap band erosion
- Insignificant weight loss results
Converting to Gastric Bypass
If a patient needs to have the band removed for any reason, weight gain is a real concern, unless a secondary surgical procedure is performed.
Converting a lap band procedure to a gastric bypass will require two surgeries. The initial surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that allows Dr. Gonzales to remove the lap band and restore the original anatomy of the stomach. We typically give patients a few months to recover from this procedure before going back in for the gastric bypass.
During the gastric bypass procedure, the stomach and small intestines are altered to limit the amount of food that a person can eat, and restrict the number of calories and nutrients absorbed by the body.
First, Dr. Gonzalez will create a small pouch that divides the upper stomach from the lower stomach. Next, the small intestine is divided and the bottom portion of the small intestine is connected to the newly created stomach pouch. Finally, the top portion of the small intestine is reconnected to the lower part of the small intestine further down. This creates a path so that stomach acids from the bypassed portion of the stomach can mix with the food that travels through the new digestive tract.
Benefits of Gastric Bypass
Gastric bypass surgery encourages significant and rapid weight loss without causing many of the complications that are commonly associated with lap band surgery.
Gastric bypass conversion can relieve issues such as nausea, vomiting, and heartburn to improve a person’s quality of life.
The weight loss results that are typically achieved through gastric bypass minimize the risk of obesity-related health conditions to greatly improve a patient’s overall health.
Learn More
If you are experiencing complications from a lap band procedure, or you have not achieved the weight loss results you desire, you may be an ideal candidate for a gastric bypass conversion. To learn more about this procedure, contact us at your earliest convenience, or call (619) 690-8417 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Francisco Gonzalez.