Laparoscopic
Resleeve gastrectomy
Revisional Bariatric Surgery
Laparoscopic Re-Sleeve Gastrectomy
LRSG is a revisional bariatric surgery procedure that is done if the results of the original laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) were unsatisfactory, or if you start regaining weight after the first surgery. While in most cases the results of LSG are reliable and permanent, some patients may experience an abnormal enlargement of the stomach after it is made smaller, and would start regaining some of the weight they lost after the first surgery. In that case, another surgery very similar to the original one is done to achieve great results and weight loss once again.
A laparoscopic approach to surgery means using 3 tiny incisions to do the surgery (two 5 mm in length, and one 12 mm in length), as opposed to the regular approach where a large incision is made in your abdomen. The surgeon would use a specialized thin long telescope to which a camera is connected known as the Laparoscope together with some very small surgical instruments to reach the surgical area without opening up your belly too much. This means less scarring as most of these incisions are hidden, less pain during the post-operative recovery period, and fewer surgical complications. It is the approach of choice for most bariatric surgeries.
Frequently asked questions
LSG is a reliable and safe surgery with proven results all over the world where you stand to lose 40 to 50% of your body weight in about 2 years. However, the research data collected on the results of LSG are not always consistent, where some people report its long-term success and results, while others suffer from a degree of failure in terms of weight regaining and worsening of metabolic conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure. While these outcomes are quite rare, if you are one of these unfortunate people where the original surgery didn’t yield the wanted results, then LRSG is definitely the choice for you. Studies have shown that this revisional surgery is not only very safe, but it has astounding results for your weight loss plan as well.
It is done the exact same way as the original surgery, where the surgeon will use the laparoscope with small surgical instruments to remove the enlarged part of the stomach, reforming the original “sleeve” shape that was done in the first surgery. The procedure is usually shorter (an average of 1 hour) and you would only remain in the hospital for a day or 2.