Revision Surgery

Bariatric revision surgery is a second procedure performed to correct, modify or supplement a prior weight loss surgery. It may involve adjusting the original procedure or converting it to a different type of bariatric surgery. In rare cases, your surgeon might reverse the first procedure entirely. The right approach depends on your anatomy, your overall health and what happened after your first operation.

At Baptist Health, the bariatric surgery team has extensive experience performing revision procedures with robotic surgical assistance. The team works closely with each patient to understand personal goals, walk through the options and move forward safely.  

Benefits of Robotic-Assisted Surgery

Robotic surgery is a technologically advanced system that improves surgical results for patients.  It is important to note that a robotic-assisted procedure does not mean being operated on by a machine with no human involvement. In robotic-assisted procedures, the robot is a group of tools used by a skilled surgeon and the medical team to aid in an operation. These tools mimic human motion with greater precision, better visualization, and less fatigue than a person can maintain on their own.

Robotic surgery offers the following benefits:

• Smaller incisions.
• Less blood loss.
• Reduced scarring.
• Lower infection risk.
• Less pain after surgery.
• Shorter hospital stays.
• Quicker recovery.

How Does Robotic-Assisted Bariatric Revision Surgery Work?

The surgeon operates from a console, guiding small robotic arms through tiny incisions while viewing a magnified, three-dimensional image of the surgical site. The system offers precise control in areas that already contain scar tissue and anatomy affected by the first surgery.

The specific details of the procedure depend on what was done during the previous surgery and why a revision is needed.

Common revision surgeries include:

• Gastric band removal followed by a conversion to sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass.
• Sleeve gastrectomy converted to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or duodenal switch.
• Reduction of a gastric bypass pouch that has stretched over time.
• Reversal of gastric bypass.

Older procedures such as vertical banded gastroplasty can also be transitioned to a modern technique. Your Bariatric surgeon will work with you to decide the best approach to help you reach your goals.

What to Expect with Robotic-Assisted Bariatric Revision Surgery

Before revision surgery, your Baptist Health provider will perform a complete evaluation. That process typically includes an upper endoscopy, imaging studies, blood work, a nutritional assessment and a behavioral evaluation. Checking with your insurance provider early is also a good idea, as coverage for revision surgery varies.

Revision procedures can take longer than a first-time bariatric surgery because your surgeon may be working in an area with scar tissue and altered anatomy. Hospital stays vary by complexity, but most patients spend one to three days in the hospital before going home.

Recovery follows a similar path to the original procedure. You will start with a liquid diet and progress through pureed foods to solid foods over several weeks under the guidance of your dietitian. Most patients with desk or light duty jobs return to work in one to three weeks, while physical labor may require a full three weeks off. Daily vitamin and mineral supplements continue. Your plan may be adjusted based on the type of revision performed by your surgeon.

Follow up visits are scheduled frequently after surgery to give maximum support to the patient. Your bariatric provider will likely want to check in with annual visits and blood work after that. These check-ins help your provider catch nutritional gaps early and keep you on track with your goals.    

Why Bariatric Surgery?

Bariatric Surgery is an effective and safe tool in the treatment of obesity.  Obesity is a disease, and can present with different levels of severity.  Bariatric Surgery has been shown to result in the most long-lasting weight loss and disease resolution for patients with a BMI (body mass index) of 35 or greater.  Some diseases that can be improved or resolved by Bariatric Surgeon include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. 

The safety profile of Bariatric Surgery is similar to some of the safest and most commonly performed surgeries in the United States, such as gallbladder surgery, appendectomy, and knee replacement.  Many studies have shown that patients lose more weight and keep it off longer after Bariatric Surgery than after treatment with GLP-1 drugs, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide.

Why Choose Baptist Health?

Baptist Health is committed to being a leader in the field of Bariatric Surgery in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. The Bariatric Surgeons at Baptist Health are distinguished by lower than national average complication rates, and their extensive experience and training increases the safety and success of revisional bariatric surgery.  

If you have questions or concerns about obesity and weight related health issues, take our online Health Risk Assessment.