Failed Vertical Banded Gastroplasty ~ Revision to DS needed

Good Evening All,
In 2000 i had vertical banded gastroplasty with Dr. Hollingsworth from Cardston, Alberta, Canada. Over the next 6 months i lost a mininal amount of weight. A year later, I lost a chunk of weight on my own, but did not maintain the loss. I went back to Dr. Hollingsworth 2 years after surgery, he did a scope, said the staple line was broken down, didn't want to fix it. I believe the man is now deceased. In 2003 i had another scope with Dr. Nohr in Medicine Hat. He said he could not revise my failed vbg to a roux-en-y (the standard at the time). So i gave up on weight loss surgery being a tool I could access. About 18 months ago, I, got involved with the Weight Wise Revision Clinic in Edmonton. I've been doing some education sessions, meeting with psychologist several times and dietician and nurse once. It is a long wait to get a scope in Edmonton and I need a scope before I can see the surgeon Dr. deGara -the options covered in Alberta are lapband (no), sleeve and rny. I continued to research and have always been drawn to the ds. So i started researching doctors who do revisions to DS. The doctor in mexicali said he did not do revision to ds when the vbg band is mesh as opposed to silicon. I have recently been emailing with Dr. Michel Gagner. He is very experienced and likely could do the revision lap. However, the surgery would not be covered by Alberta Health Care. I'm likely looking at having to save over 20,000 dollars. I have a good job...but 20,000 will take a long time. <br />
My bmi is about 53, recent diabetic, high blood pressure, etc etc. I really want this huge stomach to be gone....<br />
Any ideas, suggestions or thoughts are appreciated. Negativity is not needed however, i have enough of that to sustain me for some time.<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
Shawna

Financing?

You might check with Dr Marchesini in Brazil. His contact info should be on the DS surgeons list on www.dsfacts.com.

Would they actually remove all the mesh or just open it up a bit? My surgeon also uses a mesh on his VBG w/sleeve patients but leaves it intact if he converts to the DS. Just curious. Thanks.

--gina

Revising vbg to DS is just as complicated, in its own way, as revising RNY to DS, so surgeons who can do this for you are few and far between. As far as I know, Dr. Gagner would be your best, probably only, option in Canada. You could contact some of the well known American revision surgeons to see if you could get a better price, but 20K for this type of revision actually sounds better than anything I've heard of.

One of the big reasons vbg is no longer a standard of care operation in the USA is that the staple line broke down so often, leaving the patient with nothing of any use. This is not in any way your fault, so I hope you aren't kicking yourself over your "failure". And with your bmi where it is, and esp with the type 2 diabetes, DS really is your best choice. 20K is a lot, but this is your health and your life on the line. It's worth it.

Larra

Thank you all for your replies.
S.

I talked to Dr. Michel Gagner today! I"m very excited. He went through my medical/ bariatric history and reviewed my barium swallow test and gastroscopy report. At this point he want to do the intestine portion of the DS surgery. I never thought it would be suggested and I am very happy! He quoted me 13000 - 13500 for the revision. He said if needed, and he doesn't think it will be, he could revise my VBG stomach (the staple line is down and it is basically free flow) if needed in the future. He said they have done just the intestinal part of the DS on patients and they have lost large amounts of weight. I am so happy about this :) :) :)