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Thousands of Americans turn to bariatric surgery as a last resort to losing weight needed to gain control over health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and sleep apnea.

Occasionally, patients will require a revision. The patient may have experienced complications from the first surgery, inadequate weight loss or too much weight loss.

Revision surgery is more difficult than the initial operation because of scar tissue. The procedure itself is more intense for the surgical team because it can take two to three times longer to perform.

Dr. Kelvin Higa, a clinical professor at USCF-Fresno and President of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, says patients must be realistic about their expectations from a revision.

“One of the biggest issues I have is trying to convince patients. This is like playing with dynamite sometimes. One patient may get a great result, someone else may not,” Dr. Higa said. “The complication rates are much higher with revisions, the danger is higher so the screening process has to be much more intense. The risk-benefit ratio is not quite as dramatic so therefore when you go after revision you have to be satisfied in your mind as a surgeon that you’re really going to do some good.”

Fresnan Goldie Martie had very successful bariatric surgery 10 years ago, but gained a lot of weight back after a serious leg injury. She thought she wouldn’t qualify for a revision surgery because she wasn’t 100 pounds over her recommended body weight. That is often the requirement for bariatric surgery.

“With the revision you don’t lose weight as fast, like the first time,” Martie said. “Yet, I feel energetic and healthy all of the time.”

Martie has lost 20 pounds in her first month since her revision surgery.

Click here for more information about Community’s weight-loss surgery services

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