Is it possible to dilate the stomach to increase size?

Question

I had a gastric sleeve last year. The results were great, I have reached my target weight. But I’m still struggling with eating regular food, even small portions without drinks. I kept losing weight but now I drink just protein shakes to stabilize. I may have a stricture or my stomach is just too small. Is there a procedure to dilate my stomach to make it bigger so I can enjoy small meals at least?

Ali Solmaz, MD · Answer

It sounds like you may have a stricture or your gastric sleeve may have been made too small, which is causing difficulty with eating solid food. To address this, an endoscopic dilation could be performed to stretch any narrowed areas of your stomach. If the issue is not due to a stricture but rather the overall size of your stomach, a revision surgery may be an option to create more space, such as converting to a mini gastric bypass. Alternatively, stomach Botox injections might help relax the stomach muscles and improve food tolerance. You should consult a bariatric surgeon or gastroenterologist for an upper endoscopy to determine the exact cause and the best treatment. In the meantime, ensure you maintain proper nutrition, as relying solely on protein shakes long-term can lead to deficiencies.

Walfre Edwin Guerrero Burgueno, MD · Answer

Hi! How are you? I´m glad to hear that you’ve reached your target weight, but I understand how frustrating it can be to struggle with eating solid foods.
It’s possible that you may have a stricture or narrowing of the stomach, which can sometimes occur after a gastric sleeve procedure. If that’s the case, an endoscopic dilation might be an option. This is a non-surgical procedure where we use an endoscope to gently widen any narrowed areas in your stomach, which could help you tolerate solid foods better. It’s important to have this evaluated with imaging or an endoscopy to confirm if a stricture is present.
If your stomach is not narrowed but is still too small for your comfort, there may be other options we can discuss, although dilating the stomach to make it larger is not a common approach. In some cases, revisional surgery may be considered if eating issues persist.
It would be necessary to discuss your symptoms and go over the next steps, including tests to determine if a stricture or other issue is causing the difficulty.

Reza Keshavarzi, MD, FACS, FASMBS · Answer

It's best you speak to a surgeon about what's going on because there may be other options but the general answer to your questions, is yes you can. Dr. K can do this so schedule a consultation and we can go from there.

Islam Abdelkhalek, MD · Answer

In general, the stomach is dilated after one and half year from the surgery. This dilatation occurs gradually. This happens in mist of patients. But if the complaint persists, I recommend you do revisional surgery in the form of gastric bypass

H. Joseph Naim, MD, FACS · Answer

Yes,The stomach after Gastric Sleeve can kink or continue to cause issues. There are a few options:1. Balloon Dilation to stretch the tissue. 2. Stent placement to increase the diameter. If those don't work and your symptoms are severe, you can talk to an experienced surgeon and consider "revising" it to Gastric Bypass to resolve the issue by bypassing the narrow part.

Pablo Garcia, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hello, I'm sorry to hear you are having this issue. Unfortunately, there are no procedures that dilate your stomach. If you are having issues with restriction or are concerned about your weight loss, you should approach your bariatric team as these issues can be managed through nutrition plans.

Is it possible to dilate the stomach to increase size?

Answers (6)

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