pouch to old stomach pathway

Hi
I have just spent 3 days in the hospital with some very bad stomach pains.  After ct scan it turns out there is a "pathway" between my pouch (2.5 years old) and my old stomach.  I might add that I have been feeling much hungrier lately and have gained 12 pounds.  So my surgeon is going to do an endoscopy and try to fix the "hole" that way.  If it is small enough to do. If it is too large he says he will have to go back in and re-do the pouch. 
Has this happened to anyone?  How did it turn out?
Thanks for your help

Was your original surgery RNY Gastric Bypass or Vertical Banded Gastroplasty...By what I read into your problem it sounds like you may have had a VBG and that is very common...But if it was RNY Gastric Bypass...Not real common...The RNY completely sutures the pouch from the stomach whereas the VBG only staples and stapleline breakdown is quite common.

I had a stapling it opened and they revised me to RNY...

I did excellent for 16 years after...I have just revised to a ERNY for a 3rd surgery...

Janie

HI Janie
I had an RNY in Nov 2006.  Glad yours is working so well for you!  What's an ERNY?

Hi Sydney:

So if you since you had RNY I'm with Monique in thinking that you probably do have a fistula. Which is fixable,

Actually my 1989 RNY wasn't working for me very well therefore I revised to ERNY which stands for Extended Roux N Y....Simply means they short your common conduit so that you receive more malabsorption and hopefully will help bring on more weight loss...I had mine done on May 20th I weighed in at 214 and I now weigh 187....I have been fluctuating up and down 2 lbs but seem to drop about 1 per week...

This procedure is usually done as an open procedure although I'm sure there are Dr's out there who are skilled in lap could do it lap...Scarring is a huge issue once you've had open surgery and I've had 3 priors.

Hope this answers your question.

Janie

If I'm not mistaken it is called a fistula. At least that is what my surgeon told me. So when you eat your food goes through this opening into your old stomach and you are hungry sooner and can plain and simply eat more causing you to gain your weight back.

ETA: If you google gastric bypass fistulas it will bring up some things that you can read. Hope this helps.

Thanks for your help!  I have an appointment with a G.I. guy on Omnday and then they will set up the endoscopy with my surgeon.  Hopefully this will fix it.  I have also had many open procedures and lap wouldn't be an option. 
I did google it and found a  great video with a very thourough explanation. 
Thanks for taking the time to point me in the right direction!
Happy 4th!

Hi,

I had a RNY in 2004 and now have three fistulas, I have gained 20lbs this year and can eat more also.  Can you explain the pain that had you in the hospital?  I have been having alot of pain also and need to get these fixed, I am trying to figure out if insurance will cover having them repaired or not.  

Good luck to you!!

HI
The pain I had was making me double over---very achy/crampy.  From what I have found out so far, because this is a failure of the original surgery, I wouldn't have to go through the whole pre surgery stuff and it will be covered by the insurance company as a complication.  Hopefully the surgeon can fix it endoscopically.  I am seeing the GI guy today and they will schedule that.  Also-did you know that this is usually a "silent" problem?  The only sign is a sudden unexpected weight gain.  Get checked out--especially if you know you have fistulas already!  Good Luck! 

I have had my endoscopy done already by a GI and another by my RYN surgeon.  Both saw the three fistulas, I have not had them repaired because my surgeon is in Texas and I now live in MO and do really have the time at work to fly to Texas have surgery and recover.  My Surgeon it would be at least  a couple of days in the Hospital and could be done via lap. 

My pain hits in my lower left side and comes on like a severe muscle cramp I even get a tight ball in that area.  My pcp does not think it is a hernia so I am wondering if that is the same kind of pain you are getting.  The severeness of my pain usually goes away in a few mins but the area remains very tender and sore.

UGH the weight gain!! I want so badly to get this fixed ASAP. 

Yep--that sounds familiar.   Book your flight...............we didn't come this far to gain all that weight back!  Let me know how you make out.