Lap band with placation

I have had real problems losing weight with the lap band. After changing Doctors and having the band re-xrayed, the new very respected doctor sees that it is too high.  (The original Doctor was new and placed it too high on the esophagus).  I have also after three years of menuing and eating what the nutritionists want me to eat, not lost much weight.  He has suggested repositioning the band to the correct spot and after a recent conference thinks that for lap banders who can't lose weight a solution is this procedure called placation.  He says that the studies shown at the conference he was at shows substantial weight loss, complication comparable to the lap band itself, and a significant decrease in the production of Ghrelin (which affects appetite and metabolism).  The little I can find on this website says stuff like it does NOT effect Ghrelin, is dangerous and does not work.  I really like the new surgeon and he is checks out to be top notch.   I would like to know if anyone knows much about these topics?  That is, is placation great or worse than bad?  Is repositioning the lap band a good idea or a waste of time and money? 

I have not read anything overly positive about plication. Then again I researched it minimally when I was considering a revision.

If I had to revise, I would revise to VSG. But that is based on "my" needs. Have you researched VSG?

I ended up repairing my leaky port... as it wasn't a huge fix... and am working with the band again.

I would look into VSG if I were you to see if that is something that might fit your needs. ?? It really depends on the "why" behind why you weren't losing. Was it strictly because of poor positioning?

I have been very reluctant to go to any surgery which cuts the stomach or intestines in any way.  I have known too many people who after four or five years have told me never to allow the surgeons to do any kind of permanent changes to your system.   Further, I have been told by the researchers that sometime in the future there may be better treatments though hormone therapy and if you have had irreversable stomach surgery, that may not be available (though it may not be available in my relevant lifetime anyway). That is why this "placation" is so interesting to me.  It is supposedly completely reversable and cuts Ghrelin which effects appetite AND more importantly for me metablolism. 

I didn't want any organ cutting either, that is why I went with the lap band. Now, 3 years out, I am less averse to the reduction of the stomach.

My main concern with the plication was the possibility of the scar tissue fusing the folded stomach together. I hadn't heard about the ghrelin being reduced, that would be a positive for sure. Is it because that part of the stomach is not being used? Interesting.

Best of luck with your research! I hope you find a solution that works for you.

I hadn't heard of the scar tissue issue.  I will put that on the list to ask my Doctor about.   As far as the ghrelin reduction, the Doctor said that was being studied. He also said research was not sure if the reduction was permanent or not.   Thanks for your input and help.  

Go to the top of this forum and search vertical gastric plication with band.  You will find a lot of info there.  Naomi posted a question on this on 1/19/11.  She got a lot of good responses.  One from a person who goes by airhead_74 who actually had this procedure done.  Hope this helps.

Thanks.