Lap Band Revision Surgery in Mexico
Lap-Band® surgery was once a common procedure for obese patients all over the world, however, Lap-Bands sometimes cause problems.
If your Lap-Band isn’t getting you the results you desire or is causing issues, you may be better suited to a different bariatric surgery.
Jet Medical Tourism® in Tijuana, Mexico, can provide you with Lap-Band revision surgery to aid in your weight loss.
Why Would I Need Bariatric Revision Surgery?
Many patients have experienced problems after receiving their Lap-Band, including:
- Failure to lose weight
- Band slippage or erosion
- Daily vomiting, coughing, or heartburn
- Breathing-related problems
- Abdominal pain
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you may benefit from the removal of your gastric band and the transition to a different bariatric procedure.
What Revision Weight Loss Surgery Entails
During revision surgery, your bariatric surgeon removes your ineffective Lap-Band and provides you with a different bariatric surgery.
Our surgeons in Tijuana can provide you with a:
Gastric Sleeve
The most common bariatric option after revision surgery, gastric sleeve surgery removes about 80% of the stomach. This permanently restricts your food intake and controls your appetite. The gastric band removal and sleeve gastrectomy can be completed in about 2-3 hours. Explore gastric sleeve surgery.
Gastric Bypass
During gastric bypass surgery, the stomach is divided into two sections and the small intestine is rerouted to connect to both. This weight loss surgery controls how much food you can consume and the calories absorbed by your body, helping you achieve your weight loss goals. Explore gastric bypass surgery.
Mini Gastric Bypass
Mini gastric bypass is similar to gastric bypass but involves less rerouting of the small intestine. This means that the bariatric surgery has a lower chance of complications, takes a shorter amount of time to complete, and can result in a shorter recovery time. Explore mini gastric bypass surgery.
If you are in good health and are simply suffering from band erosion or slippage, your revision bariatric surgery can be performed right after removing your Lap-Band. Otherwise, your revision surgery will typically be scheduled 5-6 months after the Lap-Band removal to let your stomach heal from the complications induced by the band.
What to Expect After Your Procedure
Hospital Stay
If you simply had your Lap-Band removed and there were no complications, you’ll be free to leave the hospital on the same day. If your stomach has sustained any damage from the Lap-Band or you’ve received another weight loss surgery, you’ll have to stay in the hospital for 1-2 days after your procedure.
Recovery at Home
Lap-Band revision surgery typically requires two weeks of recovery time, and patients will have to recover at home for about 10 days. Be sure to follow all post-op care instructions and directions on your new diet.
Jet Medical Tourism® Offers Unique Benefits
Board-Certified Surgeons
Our bariatric surgeons have obtained board certification by proving their skills and advanced knowledge. They have helped thousands of Lap-Band patients successfully transition to a more effective procedure and achieve permanent weight loss.
Affordable Rates
Patients from the United States can receive high-quality bariatric surgery in Tijuana, Mexico, for prices that are much lower than the U.S. Revision surgery with us costs $4,500-$6,500, including ground transportation and hotel stay. You can save almost $20,000 by choosing us.
Laparoscopic Procedures
Our surgeons perform weight loss surgery laparoscopically, meaning your entire surgery can be completed through a few small incisions in your abdomen. This minimally invasive method results in faster recovery times, less scarring, and reduced pain.
Explore Our Weight Loss Surgery Pricing
What is Gastric Band Revision?
A lap band revision procedure is made up of 2 steps:
- Removing the gastric band
- Revising to another more effective weight loss surgery (like gastric sleeve or gastric bypass)
If you have undergone a lap band procedure, but are still struggling with obesity, then a lap band revision surgery in Mexico can be a terrific tool to help you achieve your desired health and body shape. Our board-certified bariatric surgeons at Jet Medical Tourism® have helped thousands of lap band patients successfully transition to a more effective procedure and achieve permanent weight loss.
When to Go For Lap Band Revision Surgery?
If you received a gastric lap band surgery in Mexico and have not lose your excess weight, it’s paramount to go to your bariatric surgeon. Or, if you have a lap band and you are suffering from vomiting, heartburn, pain, or anything else, please get evaluated by your doctor. They might suggest a lap band removal or revision procedure.
Also, avoid taking any antacid or cough medications to treat these symptoms. The medications will only mask your symptoms – you need to get treatment for the underlying issue. Your gastric band may be too tight, or it may have eroded or slipped.
A thorough evaluation by an experienced bariatric surgeon will help determine whether a lap band removal and revision surgery is in your best interest.
Lap Band Removal vs. Lap Band Revision
In some cases, patients with a lap band are not able to achieve or maintain the desired weight loss. This happens when the band slips out of place. These patients may require a revision surgery to either put the band back in place or convert to another weight loss procedure.
There are various reasons why you may require a lap band removal in Mexico without an additional revision surgery. Maybe you are experiencing complications from the band but are not a candidate for a revisional procedure. Some lap band patients suffering side effects like abdominal pain or acid reflux wish for band removal but don’t want a revision surgery.
There are numerous ways to revise a lap band, which your surgeon will recommend depending on your individual needs. It depends on you whether you want the band to be repositioned or wish for complete band removal. In case of the lap band removal, you can receive a conversion to another bariatric surgery procedure, like gastric bypass or gastric sleeve.
Related: Lap band removal after 10 years: Everything you need to know
Lap Band Revision Options
There are a few options when it comes to revising the lap-band surgery to another procedure type. Let’s take a look:
Gastric band to another gastric band
If you experienced great results from your initial gastric band surgery, you may be looking to replace the band with a newer one. Maybe the lap band caused complications after a few years.
However, an experienced weight loss surgeon will recommend gastric band to gastric sleeve conversion for a more convenient lifestyle. This suggestion generally stems from the fact that many patients gain some or most of their weight back after removing their band.
Gastric band to gastric sleeve surgery
This is the most preferred revision bariatric surgery option for lap band patients. This includes removing the band from stomach completely, and then performing a sleeve gastrectomy. In most cases, this entire procedure can be performed within 2-3 hours.
Related: Gastric sleeve vs gastric lap band
Gastric band to gastric bypass surgery
Gastric bypass or mini gastric bypass is also an effective approach if your lap band surgery didn’t give you the best results. Gastric bypass is a little more complex than gastric sleeve because it involves rerouting the small intestine.
This surgery may also result in more weight loss since you won’t be able to consume large amounts of food without experiencing the dumping syndrome.
Related: Gastric bypass vs lap band
Lap band revision to roux-en-Y bypass
Gastric bypass or Roux-en-Y surgery is a 2-step procedure that reduces the size of your upper abdomen and reroutes your intestines to help you lose weight.
STAGE 1:
During the first stage of the surgery, your lap band will be removed. If you are in good health, i.e., you are suffering from band erosion or slippage, the roux-en-Y procedure will be performed in the same session. Otherwise, your revision surgery will be scheduled for 5-6 months after the lap band removal. This time-gap ensures your stomach is completely healed from the complications induced by the band.
STAGE 2:
Once your band is removed, the surgeon will divide your stomach into 2 sections, one smaller and one larger. The smaller part will be stapled or sewn together in a way that it will hold only about a palm-sized portion of food.
Then this smaller pouch will be disconnected from the rest of the stomach and intestine. The pouch will be connected to a particular section of your small intestine that is located further down. The new shape of your stomach will allow the food you consume to bypass the upper part of your small intestine and the larger part of the stomach.
Related: Lap band erosion: Diagnosis, pictures, treatment & recovery
This means the amount of food you can eat will be limited, and you will absorb fewer calories and less fat.
Depending on your surgeon’s preference and your needs, this surgery can be performed laparoscopically or as an open surgery. If it’s performed via a laparoscope, your recovery time will be a lot shorter.
For the first 1-2 weeks after the Roux-en-Y revision surgery, you will be put on a liquid-only diet. Over the next month, you’ll be able to add soft foods, and then you can go back to eating regular foods eventually.
Since your new stomach will be much smaller, you will feel full more quickly so make sure you consume nutrient-dense foods only. Eating starchy and sugary foods (and drinks) after this procedure is likely to cause the dumping syndrome. Symptoms of dumping syndrome include rapid heart rate, shakiness, sweating, abdominal pain diarrhea, and vomiting.
Related: Revision weight loss surgery: Everything you need to know
Lap band revision to gastric sleeve {most recommended}
If you have undergone a lap band surgery in Mexico, but have not been happy with the results, you should know that our board-certified bariatric surgeons have had a great deal of success with lap band to sleeve revision.
As you may already know, the gastric band surgery is a reversible procedure in which a big part of the stomach is tied off with a banding device. This also involves adjusting the band several times over the years after the initial surgery.
On the other hand, the gastric sleeve surgery takes a more direct approach. It permanently removes 70-80% of your stomach as well as the part that produces hunger-causing hormones. Sleeve gastrectomy may seem more radical than getting a lap band, but the former is a minimally-invasive surgery and the patient doesn’t have to visit the surgeon ever again!
Another marvelous aspect about lap band to sleeve revision is you can eat almost anything you want – of course in much smaller amounts – without experiencing any discomfort or the dumping syndrome.
But most importantly, you won’t feel the intense bouts of hunger or cravings after the gastric sleeve. During this surgery, the part of the stomach that produces “ghrelin” gets removed altogether. Ghrelin is a hormone that causes you to feel hungry even if you have just eaten or are not “physically” hungry.
This change alone contributes significantly in eliminating the habit of overeating or over-indulging. So, you will naturally feel less hungry and will be easily able to get away with eating small portions of food.
Lap band removal and sleeve at the same time
Mexico Lap band removal and sleeve at the same time is absolutely possible. Consult with an experienced weight loss surgeon to discuss your options.
In some cases, the surgeon may advise to do the revision surgery later. If your lap band resulted in a dilated upper stomach pouch, you will need to get the band removed and allow your stomach to heal first. Then you can come back later to receive the sleeve gastrectomy.
In these cases, patients may need to heal for 6 months or more before they can receive the revision gastric sleeve procedure.
At Jet Medical Tourism®, our surgeons try their best to perform both the procedures simultaneously in order to save the patients any further medical expenses. We try to ensure you don’t have to pay for another hospitalization, airfare, anesthesia, etc.
However, if the lap band has done some damage to your stomach, performing the gastric sleeve at the same time can be too risky. Since patients’ safety and comfort is out number #1 priority, we may advise you to come back for the revision surgery.
Keep in mind that it is not possible for the surgeons to know the extent of the damage to stomach until they perform the lap-band removal surgery in Tijuana, Mexico.
Lap band revision to sleeve gastrectomy cost
Receiving a weight loss procedure in the US can weigh heavy on the pocket, and if you are going for it a second time, it might put a big hole in your budget. Fortunately, the cost of lap gastric band revision to sleeve in Mexico is thousands of dollars cheaper.
The gastric band revision to gastric sleeve cost in the US is about $25,000. If you have to travel to another US city for the surgery, this price tag won’t include the hospital stay or ground transportation.
In Mexico, the same procedure can be obtained for $5,500 – $6,500. This will include stay in a 3-star hotel, all the ground transportation needed, local sight-seeing, a medical companion, nutritional counseling, and more.
Tired of Fighting and Failing against Obesity Every day? Say “No” to Struggle and Get a Lap Band to Gastric Sleeve Revision for as little as $5,500! Includes ground transportation and hotel stay! Contact Jet Medical Tourism® today.
Lap band revision to sleeve insurance
In most cases, your health insurance company will partially or fully cover the gastric sleeve surgery. Before proceeding with the lap band revision to gastric sleeve, our Jet Medical Tourism® team will work with you to verify insurance coverage.
If your insurance doesn’t cover the surgery, we accept payment plans and paying via cash.
Mexico lap band removal hospital stay
Once your lap band is removed, you may be able to leave the hospital the day of your surgery. Or, you may be required to have a short stay of one-two days, depending on your medical condition.
If your stomach has suffered any damage from the band or you receive another weight loss surgery on the same day, you are likely to stay in the hospital for 1-2 nights following the procedure.
Lap band to sleeve revision recovery time
Lap band to sleeve revision recovery time is generally around 2 weeks. You will spend a couple of nights in the hospital after the surgery and then will have to stay home to recover for at least 10 days.
Most patients can return to work after 10-15 days but if your job involves strenuous physical activities, like lifting heavy objects, you might have to wait for 4 weeks before you can go back.
The incisions made in your belly by the surgeon will be sore for a few days after the surgery, so it’s important to not over-exert yourself. Your surgeon will give you specific instruction on when you can resume the routine activities, like going back to work, driving, carrying grocery bags, and so forth.
Related: Should you consider lap band to gastric sleeve conversion surgery?
Post op care after lap band removal
Once you come back home from the hospital, you will have to be mindful of the doctor’s instructions regarding your post op care after lap band removal in Tijuana, Mexico. This may include:
- Make sure you keep the strips of tape on your incisions (applied by the surgeon) for at least a week or until it falls of itself.
- Once the tape falls off, you may cover the area with a gauze bandage to avoid rubbing against your clothing. But make sure you change the bandage daily.
- Wash that area every day with warm water and pat it dry with a clean, soft towel. Don’t use any alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, i.e., any soap or anti-septic on your incisions.
- Hold a pillow over your incisions when you take deep breaths or cough.
- Try to walk as much as you can without feeling any pain.
- Don’t lift or move any heavy objects until you are feeling 100% better.
- Don’t take a bath for at least the first two weeks after surgery (or until your surgeon tells you it’s okay).
- Take pain medications as prescribed or suggested by your bariatric surgeon.
- Don’t take any new medications or restart taking old medications without consulting your doctor.
Diet after lap band removal
Your bariatric surgeon will give you detailed instruction about what to eat after your operation. You will need to follow a strictly liquid-only diet for the first few days. Bit by bit, you will be able to add normal foods back into diet.
At Jet Medical Tourism®, you can talk with a dietitian who will help you plan healthy meals so you can reach your goal weight safely and quickly.
You will need to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and ensure you get regular bowel movements. You will be suggested to eat foods that are rich in fiber, lean protein, and essential nutrients.
Once your lap band is removed, you may feel that your appetite has increased but it’s crucial to keep a check on your portion sizes. Eating protein with every meal will ensure you feel full for longer and don’t crave starchy, sweet, and fried foods.
Don’t know what to eat after your Lap-Band removal surgery? Contact Jet Medical Tourism® to know the best diet for you after getting a lap band removal procedure.
Lap band to sleeve revision testimonials
If you are wondering whether lap band removal and revision is a right choice for you, consider the following Mexico lap band to sleeve revision testimonials:
“I got a lap band surgery about 5 years ago. The first year went great but then my band slipped and it was never the same. All the weight I had lost came back and it was extremely costly to get the band refilled every few months. I finally decided to get the band removed and get a sleeve gastrectomy from Jet Medical Tourism® after hearing many good things about them. And man, I just wish I had gone to them sooner.” – Ellie B.
“I was suffering from some effects from my lap band and looking into revision surgery options. I had received the first lap band surgery in the states so I went to the same bariatric surgeon to know more about lap band revision. He quoted me a price of around $25,000 which I simply couldn’t afford. I started doing some research and found Jet Medical Tourism®.
“I won’t lie, I was a bit skeptical at first due to the cost difference but after talking to their previous patients, I went ahead and booked the surgery. Dr. Reyes and all the nurses were so wonderful and caring that I felt completely at ease. It’s been a year since I received the lap band revision to sleeve procedure and I have already lost more than 40 pounds so far.” – Tina B.
“I have a friend who received gastric sleeve surgery at Jet Medical Tourism® 3 years ago and she was very happy with the way it went. I had received a lap band surgery 7 years ago in California and still hadn’t managed to lose all my excess weight. When I saw my friend get in the best shape of her life at a fraction of the cost that I paid, it sealed the deal for me. I decided to convert to a sleeve two years ago and of course, Jet Medical Tourism® was a no-brainer choice for me. To this date, I have lost 75 pounds and that too without joining a gym!” – Martha W.
If you have any questions about lap band revision to sleeve surgery or want to schedule a consultation, please give us a call at 1-855-506-6188 or contact us online.