A Second Chance for Gastric Bypass Patients
For some gastric bypass patients, the stomach pouch and stoma created during surgery may gradually stretch and weight loss may stop. If left untreated, weight regain may occur.
A stretched stomach and stoma allow you to eat more food than you could after your surgery and this extra food causes the gradual regain of weight.
A new procedure called Restorative Obesity Surgery Endolumenal, or ROSE procedure, may provide a safe, reliable solution for correcting a stretched stomach and stoma allowing additional weight loss and control.
A “Scarless” Treatment
The ROSE Procedure is performed entirely through the mouth without making any external incisions into the body. Eliminating incisions means less risk than traditional open or laparoscopic surgery, minimal post operative pain, fast recovery time and no scarring. Patients generally report minimal or no pain after the procedure and many of them return to work and normal activities the next day.
While the patient is under anesthesia, the surgeon passes a long flexible tube through the mouth and into the stomach pouch. Within the tube are several narrow channels containing specialized instruments and viewing tools. This allows the surgeon to see inside the pouch and create a series of folds which decrease the diameter of the stomach and stoma. This reduced diameter allows the stomach to function as it did after the original gastric bypass surgery.
Is the ROSE Procedure the right choice for you?
The ROSE procedure is a new tool for bariatric surgeons to use to maintain weight control in gastric bypass patients who are regaining weight. However, stomach and stoma stretching may not be the reason for all cases of weight regain so a thorough examination is required before deciding if the ROSE procedure is a suitable treatment for you. This examination will normally include a physical examination, nutritional and dietary counseling, and endoscopy.