The difference between a RNY and Fobi pouch is much more complex than just the silastic ring around the stoma.

I had my fobi pouch done on 10/28/09. I had severe dumping syndrome, reactive hypoglycemia, constant nausea, reflux, vomitting, and solid intolerance. I chose to be revised to the duodenal switch, which you can find info in my signature, on 4/11/11, and all these problems have gone away.

Here's the difference between a RNY and fobi pouch:

   A RNY is mad by horizontally cutting about one ounce of the stomach from the lesser curvature of the stomach to crate a bulb shaped, proximal pouch. Then the intestinal bypass is done. The connection between the pouch and small intestine bypass is called the stoma.

One major problem with RNY is that after some years it is quite common for the stoma to dilate, causing food to rapidly empty from the pouch into the small bowel and causing one to be able to eat more. This is associated with regain.

Dr. Fobi thought that if he put a ring around the stoma it would prevent the stoma from stretching. The problem is that the standard bulb shaped RNY pouch does not have enough surface area to place the ring, so fobi has to cut more of the stomach. He does this by cutting into the stomach vertically (you may hear the fobi pouch referred to as a vertical bypass with silastic ring) and therby bypassing more of the stomach than a RNY. Now with more stomach cut he can make a longer, tube-shaped pouch, which he can then fit the silastic ring around the stoma.

I know that's a mouthful, but try to picture it. More stomach cut means more active cells are exposed by the blood supply on the lesser curvature of the stomach. This is why vommiting, solid intolerance and reflux problems are much more frequent in fobi pouch patients than RNY. In my opinion, your dietary complications have little or nothing to do with the ring. It's the way your stomach was bypassed that I assume is causing your problems. This is why I think you should research the revision I had. I think converting your fobi pouch to the uodenal switch would fix your problems. Just removing the ring probably wont change anything, because you will still be stuck with the pouch that is causing your complication.

I just recently discovered that I had the fobi pouch procedure instead of the regular RNY. Over the past three months I have had severe issues with eating. My surgeon has attempted to dilate on three different occasions with no success. I am 13 months post-op and can barely eat anything with substance. My diet is limited to protein drinks with a milky consistency, crackers, and mashed potatoes. I have scheduled to remove the ring/band on the 1st of August. What do you guys think? Any feedback/comments would be greatly appreciated.

I also had the same surgery with Dr. Newhoff, 10 years ago.
Dr. Newhoff had studied with Dr Rouex in France and with Dr. Fobi
in California.  I am pretty sure as that he did the fobi pouch as it
seems to be much smaller than other people's and is done closer
to the esophagus, to prevent stretching out too much.  I can only
eat 4 oz. of food now, and my stomach is very picky about which
foods I can keep in it, without vomiting.
Are you having any of these problems?
I would like to hear from you.

 WESTCHESTER'S POST-OP FRIENDS   MEETS THIS WEDNESDAY JUNE 22ND @ 6:00 PM   WHITE PLAINS HS 550 NORTH STREET WHITE PLAINS, NY ROOM G-121  

Dang!!! I wish that I had seen this sooner.

I would love to come. Do you know when your next date will be?

Thanks Lora