Can Gastric Bypass Be Reversed?

In gastric bypass surgery, the stomach is made smaller by crafting a pouch at the top of the stomach using plastic bands or surgical staples. This procedure causes food to avoid the small intestine, which produces fewer calories taken in by the body and subsequent weight loss. While not an easy surgery to reverse, it is possible to undo a gastric bypass.

Conditions

• The conditions must be right to reverse a gastric bypass. Not all patients will qualify for a turnaround operation. Typically, only patients who are having prolonged problems with their gastric bypass are considered sufficient candidates for reversal.

Operation

• Reversing a gastric bypass is a serious operation. In most cases, undoing a bypass is more complex than the original surgery.

Weight Gain

• By reversing a gastric bypass, patients usually gain back the weight they have lost as a result of the original procedure. This could significantly contribute to future health problems.

Potential

• When reversing the procedure, the doctor will have to remove the staples or bands from the organ, which have become fused to the stomach over time. The removal of these objects puts the patient's stomach at risk for bleeding and trauma.

Types

• Gastric bypass and Lap-Band surgery are two different procedures. Lap-Band surgery is much more easily reversed than a gastric bypass.