STOMPHYX

Has anyone heard of this new procedure called "STOMPHYX" for gastric bypass patients that have gained some weight back? One more question, has anyone had a hernia years after the bypass surgery?

Stomaphyx is done endoscopically without surgery and is only idicated for Gastric bypass patients who have had a set back. It works as a restrictive device and makes the stoma smaller. That is all I know- there is some info about it at www dot stopobesityforlife dot com- I believe that it is Dr Garber that does it. He's in New Hyde Park- of course, there are other docs that do it too.

I received something from my surgeon, Dr. Rejeev Vohra in Hewlett that he is now doing this procedure.  I was wondering what it was all about.  There are days that I could eat like nobody's business and others that I could still throw-up even after 3 plus years.  It's amazing they could tighten the stoma so it may be a useful too.  I wonder if the stomach could still stretch even after this procedure.

SHIRLEYILENE

Hello tell us more anbout your hernia, was your original RNY done Lap or open? Open has a higher incidence of hernias postop..even yrs down the road. Sometimes this is helpful to obtain insurance coverage for reconstructive panniculectomies!

What do you want to know about stomaphyx?
Some helpful links:
This is a great group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WLSrevisionsupport/ of people who can definitely lead u in the right direction!
I also know OH has a different Revision Forum.
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/revision/
http://www.stomaphyx.com/
http://www.stopobesityforlife.com/StomaphyX.html


2 articles FYI
http://www.bariatrictimes.com/displayArticle.cfm?articleID=article207
Revisional Surgery Article:
Bariatric Revisional Surgery
- by Rodrigo Gonzalez, MD; Scott F. Gallagher, MD; and Michel M. Murr, MD, FACS

EVALUATION FOR WEIGHT LOSS FAILURE
http://home.comcast.net/~muzicluvr777/Eval.htm
In Dec 2007 I wrote the company to find surgeons performing this (to be up to date on it) this was their reply:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FROM: [email protected]
DATE: Thursday, December 06, 2007 5:53 PM
TO: [email protected]
SUBJECT: EndoGastric Solutions - Your Request for Information

Dear Jamie,
Thank you for contacting EndoGastric Solutions and your interest in our StomaphyX device. The StomaphyX device is cleared by the FDA for tissue approximation and/or ligation in the GI tract. Physicians under their medical license can use the product in a broad range of applications. We can not provide recommendations or information on medical conditions or the care of patients. Only a physician can provide this type of guidance in light of your specific medical history, current symptoms, and a full assessment of your situation. For
medical recommendations and cost information, please contact a physician. We are currently in the process of training physicians throughout the US. These
doctors are better equipped to answer your questions and discuss whether your particular medical situation would be relevant for a StomaphyX procedure. The
following doctors are closest to your location.

Arif Ahmad, MD
John T. Mather Hospital
625 Belleterre Road, Suite 202
Port Jefferson, NY 11777
631-689-0220

Shawn M. Garber, MD
Mercy Medical Center
3003 New Hyde Park Road, Suite 307
New Hyde Park, NY 11042
516-616-5500

Spencer A. Holover, MD
Mercy Medical Center
3003 New Hyde Park Road, Suite 307
New Hyde Park, NY 11042
516-616-5500

Thank you very much for your interest in the StomaphyX device and EndoGastric Solutions' technology. We wish you the very best of health and success.

Regards,
Kimmie Lee
Marketing Communications
EndoGastric Solutions, Inc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello.  I recently discovered my hernia.  Maybe I had it for a long time and  thought it was scar tissue because it's at the opening of the belly button.  Wierd, huh?!!  We recently moved to the Fort Lauderdale area and feel a bit insecure about not having my surgeon (Dr. Vohra-Hewlett) nearby.  I could call but I am certain he would want to look at it.  I did have plastic surgery almost two yrs. ago but not a tummy tuck.  It would be great for the insurance to cover it however, with the economy being what it is in 2008, who knows what the insurance would cover. Thanks for forwarding all the websites.  Truly appreciate it. Shirley

Shirley, get some references on plastic surgeons/bariatric surgeons in your area (cal your surgeon he may have colleague there!) or online OH the FL forum? Insurance is concerned with medical necessity, I wouldnt have any cncerns on teh economy Id get treatment hernias can be very harmful if not treated! Be well.

Jamie, Oops.. I forgot to mention that I had the RNY in 2002.  My highest weight was 356.5 and currently gained weight- up to 235.  HELP!!!!  My lowest was 192 lbs. Shirley

Can you tell me first what your starting HT to go with that WT was and lowest wt was (and when you reached that?)
RE the Stomaphyx... how do you know that is what you need? Tell me more about what you think issue of wt regain is about...
Realistic expectations after WLS are imperative to defining success. Many want to lose it all or most and in reality the surgey is meant to assist in and maintain at 5-10-15 yrs a 50% of excess loss of that extra, so if you had 100# to lose that means you'd expect to lose 50# +/- and maintain and that is a success in surgeons minds...

Any tool can be defeated, it is normal and exoected to be able to eat a greater variety and quantity of food at a meal. Lifestyle habits developed in first 6 months the honeymoon are what helps us carry out the maintenance. Wt regain of 10% is typical so if you lost 100# a 10# bounce back is a expected/typical result of dipping a little lower.

Dietary choices in a consistent and self responsible way are necessary as is exercise in a consistent manner for life. Avoiding grazing, drinking caloried beverages and the slipper slope of refined sugar (Dumping may or may not happen early in ~ 50% of rnyers and lessens over times ESPECIALLY if one tests the waters early and frequently...the body adapts!). The pouch can stretch as it is a muscle but if overstretched by overfilling is an issue, also sometimes stoma will relax, not always a surgoens or persons fault just does...

Have you had an upper GI endoscopy scope to see what is up, stomahyx is for enlarged stomas/pouches but truthfully for ~ $10,000 self pay it is so new and no one has longterm results or will this need to be done again and again? I am not made of money as most aren't and insurance doesn't pay....mostly at this time...may change/be changing.

Lapband over bypass may be possible but I'd caution the risks of a band are not to be taken lightly, the more we see of bands the more we have seen body reject, port flip, erosion and perforation of stomach, not all RNYS can have a band due to adhesions etc...the band may help fullness I suppose no more malabsorption though. If you are grazing, eating sweets, emotional eating, not exercising etc I wouldnt think stomaphyx and or band would helop much as neither would address those concerns.

Therapy can help fo course the emotional component and self sabotge nature we can find ourselves in, helping us be aware, present, accountable and responsible to selves in a coonsistent manner.

I am not saying any of this is you, just what I have seen online and in person. Support is a huge factor in longterm success for folks we see that more and more in the research literature and I do in person!


Once you give me more info on your stats and thoughts of regain I can probably give you more info as well!

Do you get full? What do you eat in a typical day? (amounts/type/calories etc), howmuch exercise do you do daily/type/intensity etc, fluid do you drink? Water, caffeine? What meds/vits do you take? When did you have lase set of full labs with all vitamin levels (about 10 vials of blood?) when was your dexascan last? for bone denisty testing? Who is doing the follow up?

Good Morning Jamie.  I truly appreciate the time you have taken to  to acknowledge my RYN/eating issues and forwarding info. and resources.   I don't feel comfortable answering all your questions on a forum.  Also, due to my lifestyle as it is, working, commuting, stress and more stress.. my emailing time is  limited.  Could I possibly email you on your own website or do you have a number I could call you at?  IT's funny, two yrs ago I wrote something on the plastic surgery forum and  made a wonderful friend *****sponded at the time.  Ultimately  she and her husband came down to FLorida  to visit with us.  She is a nurse too!  Anyhoo, let me know and I would appreciate learning more from you. Thanks.

Shirley

[email protected] love to chat!