What is gastric sleeve surgery?
The gastric sleeve, commonly known as a sleeve gastrectomy, is a weight loss surgery procedure. It works by making your stomach smaller. The term “gastrectomy” refers to the partial or complete removal of your stomach. A tubular “sleeve,” roughly the size and shape of a banana, is left behind after the gastric sleeve procedure eliminates nearly 80% of your stomach.
What does a gastric sleeve do?
You may easily limit how much food you can consume at one time by reducing the size of your stomach, which will also help you feel fuller more quickly. However, it also has another function, which is to limit the quantity of hunger-inducing hormones your stomach can make. This aids in reducing appetite and cravings and might assist to stop the urges that lead people to put on weight after losing it.
How common is gastric sleeve surgery?
The most popular weight loss procedure both domestically and internationally is the gastric sleeve. Sleeve gastrectomies account for more than half of all bariatric procedures carried out year in the United States. Around 150,000 gastric sleeve procedures are carried out globally and 380,000 in the United States annually. However, barely 1% of those who would be eligible for the procedure and potentially benefit from it actually get it.
What medical conditions does gastric sleeve surgery help treat?
A surgical remedy for obesity and diseases linked to obesity is gastric sleeve surgery. Only qualified individuals who have severe medical issues related to their obesity or are at high risk for developing them are given access to it. The following illnesses, among others, can be improved or even cured by gastric sleeve surgery:
- Insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.
- Hypertension and hypertensive heart disease.
- Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) and arterial disease.
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis.
- Obesity hypoventilation syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea.
- Joint pain and osteoarthritis.
Is the gastric sleeve safe?
The hazards of obesity and the diseases it is associated with are much greater than the risks of having gastric sleeve surgery. Additionally, it has less complications than other common procedures like hip replacement and gallbladder surgery. The majority of gastric sleeve operations are carried out using minimally invasive surgical methods, which results in less discomfort from incisions and a quicker recovery.
What qualifies you for gastric sleeve surgery?
- that you are really obese (class III). Your BMI (body mass index), which is derived using your height, weight, and associated medical issues, will help to ascertain this. A BMI of 40 or higher, or a BMI of at least 35 along with at least one associated condition, is considered class III obesity.
- that before to surgery, you tried to lose weight but were unsuccessful. Before your insurance provider would authorize and fund your operation, you might need to follow a medically supervised weight loss plan for three to six months.
- that you are prepared physically and mentally for the procedure and the healing process. Before qualifying for weight loss surgery, you’ll meet with a team of dietitians, psychologists and other medical specialists for counseling and screening.
What happens before gastric sleeve surgery?
The next phase is a two-week liquid diet if you qualify for bariatric sleeve surgery after passing your health exam. You will be given detailed instructions to follow by your surgeon. In order to make the procedure safer, it is intended to shed part of the belly and liver fat.
Before your procedure, you won’t be allowed to eat or drink anything for 12 hours. This is to ensure that your stomach is empty when the treatment begins. Having food or drink in your stomach while undergoing surgery may have unfavorable or even harmful side effects.
How is gastric sleeve surgery performed?
A sleeve gastrectomy is typically performed via laparoscopic or robotic surgery. This means that your surgeon will do the procedure through minor incisions rather than making a major incision (or cut) to open your abdominal cavity and gain access to your organs. Although this facilitates faster recovery, certain patients may benefit more from open surgery, depending on their conditions.
What happens during gastric sleeve surgery?
- You will be put to sleep for the surgery by your surgeon after administering general anesthetic.
- Your surgeon will place a port through a tiny (approximately 1/2 inch long) incision in your belly. To make your abdomen bigger, they’ll push carbon dioxide gas through the port.
- A small, illuminated video camera called a laparoscope will then be inserted into the port. Your interior will be displayed on a screen by the camera.
- Your surgeon will insert more ports through one to three additional incisions and finish the process with long, slender tools.
- The remainder of your stomach will be divided and separated using a surgical stapler after the gastric sleeve has been measured out.
- Your incisions will be stitched up after your surgeon removes the remaining stomach tissue.
How long does gastric sleeve surgery take?
A sleeve gastrectomy is a reasonably quick and straightforward procedure when compared to other weight loss surgical techniques. Between 60 and 90 minutes pass. Your surgeon could still recommend that you spend the next one to two days in the hospital. They can then assist in controlling your pain as well as any short-term after effects of surgery, such as nausea.
What happens after gastric sleeve surgery?
In the coming weeks and months, you’ll visit your healthcare practitioner frequently for checkups. They’ll keep tabs on how much weight you’re losing, any underlying medical issues, and any negative surgical side effects. In order to sustain your health and weight loss, they’ll also want to know that you’re taking good care of yourself and adhering to the appropriate lifestyle rules.
Will I have to follow a diet after gastric sleeve surgery?
To ensure that your stomach heals properly in the near future, you must adhere to stringent food restrictions. You might start eating more normally after a few months, but you’ll still need to make informed dietary choices. You’ll need to make sure that what you do eat is nutritious enough to meet your energy demands because you won’t be able to consume as much as you used to. Soon after surgery, you’ll start taking vitamins, and you’ll need to do so indefinitely.
What are the advantages of this procedure?
The gastric sleeve procedure is less complicated, quicker, and safer than other bariatric surgery procedures. A sleeve gastrectomy is frequently tolerated by patients with medical issues that could preclude them from undergoing a longer treatment. The procedure is also considerably less likely to result in long-term nutritional issues because it doesn’t reorganize your intestines.
Gastric sleeve surgery still provides good weight loss and health advantages, even though the average weight loss is a little less than with more advanced weight loss procedures. The duodenal switch is a two-step bariatric surgery that started with this procedure. After numerous patients discovered that they didn’t need to finish the second half, surgeons began providing it as a stand-alone treatment.
What are the possible risks or complications of gastric sleeve surgery?
There is a chance of complications after every operation. Less than 1% of sleeve gastrectomy procedures result in them. among the surgical complications are:
- Reactions to anesthesia.
- Leaking from the staple line.
Some patients experience long-term consequences from the procedure after they have recovered. In most cases, they can be treated quickly when they do. They may consist of:
- Your stomach may become narrow due to scar tissue following the procedure, which can restrict or obstruct food movement and cause nausea, vomiting, and difficulty eating.
- nutritional problems. When you eat substantially less, it’s harder to get enough nutrition. Following bariatric surgery, patients are frequently given lifetime prescriptions for daily dietary supplements.
- gastrointestinal reflux Some patients who had acid reflux prior to surgery feel that it worsens afterward, whereas others who didn’t have it prior to the procedure appear to develop it. Medication is frequently effective in treating this.
- Gallstones. Gallstones may become more prevalent following rapid weight loss. It makes your liver process more fat, which can lead to cholesterol stones forming in your gallbladder and giving you pain after eating. You may need another surgery to remove your gallbladder called a cholecystectomy.
What is the recovery time from gastric sleeve surgery?
Before you expect to feel completely better or be able to resume working at your full ability, give yourself at least a month. Many people experience fatigue or exhaustion during this time as their bodies attempt to recuperate while adjusting to the calorie restriction. You will only be able to handle a liquid diet during the first few weeks. You will eventually transition to a soft diet and then solid foods.
How much weight will you lose with the gastric sleeve?
The average weight loss is 25% to 30 % of your body weight in the first one to two years. That means if you weighed 300 lbs before surgery, you’d lose 100 lbs. You might lose more or less, depending on the lifestyle habits you adopt after surgery. Some people also regain some weight, but the overall average weight loss of 25% to 30% of your body weight is consistent over five years.
What if it doesn’t work?
Some people do recover the weight they lose even though it is uncommon. They might revert to their previous behaviors, or over time, their stomach might expand once more. You might think about having gastric sleeve revision surgery if this occurs to you. Your doctor might perform a gastric sleeve repair or convert the procedure to a stronger weight loss procedure like a gastric bypass or duodenal switch.