RNY to DS?

I had an RNY 6 yrs ago. I am currently considering having an RNY to DS because my weight has increased to 270 after being down to 183. I am limited due to my insurance. Does anyone know of a surgeon who is either in Virginia or West Virginia? I am totally bummed out about this. Feel free to drop me a message and let me know if this can be done and if you know of a top physician.

The most up to date and reliable list both of DS surgeons and revision to DS surgeons is on duodenalswitch.com.

Or ask on the DS board - you may have neighbours with the DS!

Sal

Dr David Greenbaum did my RNY revision to DS. He has done alot of revisions to the DS. Revisions are a difficult surgery you need the best doctor who has alot of experience. He is worth the distance, alot of DS'ers have traveled to him foe surgery.
Ciao Leslie 

I don't know if Dr. Elariny is still offering revisions -- he is in Vienna VA.  Alternatively, Dr. Schweitzer in Maryland.  But check out all of the following:

This is from the vetted surgeons list at www.duodenalswitch.com:

VIRGINIA

* Hazem A. Elariny, MD, PhD, FACS (photo)
E-mail:[email protected]
Phone: 703-778-6000 or 1-888-SCALPEL (1-888-722-5735)
Fax: 703-778-6005
Advanced Laparoscopic and General Surgery Associates, PLLC
2235 Cedar Lane, 3rd Floor
Vienna, Va 22182
http://www.alagsa.com

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WEST VIRGINIA

Leonard A. Fichter, DO
Phone: 304-757-2518
3661 Teays Valley Rd
Hurricane, WV 25526



MARYLAND

* Michael Schweitzer, MD, FACS
E-mail [email protected]
Phone: 410-550-3345
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Department of Surgery
4940 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21224
http://www.smallscar.com

Apparao Vanguri, MD
Phone: 410-529-7500
8872 Belair Road
Baltimore, MD 21236-2401

Dr Husted is now in KY. 

And yes, for most, it can be done.  Only the surgeon can make that call once he's in.

Dr. Schweitzer does not perform a full revision from RNY to BPD DS. I emailed him recently about it and he replied that he does not.  Dr. Elariny in Virginia does, and will do it laparoscopically ..the next choices of surgeons that perform this surgery seem to be Dr. Greenbaum in NJ or Dr. Gagner in Florida. 
I've been looking into the same thing and that is what I have found so far on the East Coast.

Here is a list of DS surgeons performing/not performing revisions to DS in your region:

-  Dr. Schweitzer in Maryland no longer performs RNY-to-full DS revisions, according to an e-mail sent by him to a member on the DS board.  However, he still performs other revisions.
-  Dr. Vanguri in Maryland performs RNY-to-DS revisions and has performed VBG-to-DS revisions, according to a member on the DS board.  The same member reported being pleased with the revision and Dr. V. is "absolutely wonderful!".
-  Dr. Greenbaum in New Jersey has performed more than 100 RNY-to-DS revisions.  One member mentioned in the DS board that he worked with Dr. Rabkin in California for about a year.  Several members have mentioned that he is an excellent surgeon, especially for RNY-to-DS revisions, and he has done excellent work!
-  Dr. Elariney in Virginia performs RNY-to-DS revisions, according to a member on the DS board.  Another member reported that he has a mortality rate of zero with revisions.  Yet another member reported on the DS board that he charges a program fee and refuses to waive it for out-of-state patients.
-  Dr. Fichter in West Virginia.  Unknown if he performs any revisions.  Should contact his office.

Further info about each DS surgeon can be found in the following link:
http://www.duodenalswitch.com/surgeons/surgeons.html

Hope this helps!

-  Dr. Elariney in Virginia performs RNY-to-DS revisions, according to a member on the DS board.  Another member reported that he has a mortality rate of zero with revisions.  Yet another member reported on the DS board that he charges a program fee and refuses to waive it for out-of-state patients.

At Elariny's info session I attended in August, he no longer requires the program fee. However, all DS surgeries will be considered out-of-network for insurance purposes even if he and the hospital are considered in-network by your insurance.

Thanks for the info, Jill.  I have taken the program fee info off.

I just wanted to second what Jill said. :-)   I attended a seminar with Dr. Elariny and he does Lap RNY to DS revisions and the program fee is optional. And as Jill said, for the more difficult surgeries such as revision to DS he is out-of-network no matter what insurance you have and in addition the patient also has to pay the difference between the out-of-network charges and his actual surgical charges for this revision.