Revision from RNY to DS

Can the revision from RNY to DS be done laprosically or does it have to be open?

It can be done laproscopically.

YES...OMG, that is exactly what I wanted to hear. I called one Doctors office today and he only does the revision open so I thought that must be the only way it could be done and I really did not want something that invasive....

I don't blame you one bit!
Good Luck !

April:

Was your first surgery done lap? If so it may be a possibility for you to do revision to lap, but if it wasn't, it's probably not a good idea to go lap...

Janie

Rny to a Ds is very intense and I don't know of too many docs that would do it laproscopically. I had revision done in Feb. I didn't get the full ds due to complications, I had a twisted bowel, a hernia and alot of scarr tissue. There would be no way the doc would have been able to give me an Erny without opening me up. He had to fix other things first that he found during surgery. That is why I couldn't get the full ds.

Much will depend on you: how you are internally. Whilst the surgeon may think it could be done laproscopically, once he 'looks' inside he may need to complete  the surgery by opening you up. If you have adhesions it may not be possible to cut them. Current weight may preclude it. Many factors
Make sure you speak fully to the doctor to determine how the surgery will be done. Don't go into surgery thinking it is going to be keyhole & wake up with a 12inch front zipper.
Good Luck with whatever you choose.
Zi-Zi

Well said Zsa Zsa...Dr. Rabkin in San Francisco does RNY to DS by Lap and I'm sure there are many others...But it is tricky whenever your dealing with a 2nd surgery...So many issues with scarring...Leaks....You need someone who is really, really good!!!

Almost every surgeon I spoke with in my research said no way for Lap on me....Although both of my prior WLS were Open so I believe that plays into it as well.

Good Luck

Janie

Hi Janie, your history is amazing - thanks for sharing with the Board. I have to ask but don't feel you have to answer ... is your insurance covering your planned revision? Has your insurance covered your previous procedures, both the initial surgery and your 1st revision surgery? thanks. Maureen

Yes, it is...I have BCBS but the company I work for set it up so that it only covers employees in 4 states. Arizona, Utah, Washington and Oregon...Therefore my ERNY Revision I'm having done in Arizona by someone I'm very comfortable with and who has done several of these types of Revisions....

Although if I had qualifying insurance that covered DS that is what I would do and I would go to Husted or Keshishian...

And yes, both my first surgery and my 2nd revision were covered by Blue Cross of California...also the Dr.s gave a very large discount on the revision from VBG to RNY as it was somewhat a faulty procedure...The insurance picked up the balance. The Dr. who performed my VBG was the same who performed my RNY and was the pioneer of RNY...he is now retired...But in the 1970's I believe he was the only one doing it in San DIego, California at the time...I was like the 150th patient...His name is Dr. Richard Catlin...

Prior to the RNY he was doing the Intestinal Bypass which was bad, bad, bad they changed that to Gastric Stapling and then came the Roux N Y...I probably gave you much more information than you wanted, but heck I have a hard time stopping once I get started...

Janie