Gastric Sleeve

Gastric sleeve surgery is a type of weight loss surgery that is designed to permanently reduce the size of your stomach. The real name for the gastric sleeve surgery is Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy. The word Gastrectomy comes from two different latin words, which are gastro and ectomia, meaning stomach and to “cut out” respectively. The gastric sleeve surgery is not your typical type of cosmetic surgery, although it may be performed at a cosmetic surgery center. The purpose of this weight loss surgery is to permanently reduce the size of your stomach by approximately 85 percent, which is extremely helpful for patients who are looking to lose weight but are having difficulty. Some patients may choose a malabsorptive surgery like a duodenal switch or DS, while others believe that a gastric sleeve surgery is better for them.

What is a Gastric Sleeve?

During this type of weight loss surgery, the plastic surgeon will surgically remove the larger part of the stomach, which is the rounded part of the stomach. The part of the stomach that remains will appear as a sleeve or a tube, and it will hold only 15 percent of the food that the original stomach could hold. This is the only type of weight loss surgery where the stomach is actually removed in part from the body. Unlike in other surgeries like gastric bypass, the stomach openings are left intact in the gastric sleeve surgical procedure. This is a safer and often a more effective option than other gastric surgeries for patients that have a very high Body Mass Index or BMI, or people who have medical problems or complex medical conditions like anemia, osteoporosis or Crohn’s disease.

Advantages of the Gastric Sleeve Surgery

There are a number of different types of weight loss surgery, including tummy tuck, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, liposuction and numerous others. The gastric sleeve surgery is considered to be one of the safest, especially for patients who have health risks beforehand. In comparison to the gastric bypass surgery, the gastric sleeve surgery can lower the risk of ulcers. The surgery is capable of cutting away a part of the stomach responsible for producing a stomach hormone known as grehlin, which is responsible for stimulating hunger. Although the new stomach will be much smaller, because the openings to the stomach are left completely intact, digestion will continue completely as normal. Additionally, unlike other types of surgeries, the gastric sleeve surgery leaves the body free of foreign objects.

Risks of the Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Just like with any weight loss surgery, there are risks involved. You should not smoke as it will put you at risk for slow healing, blood clots and infection. Complications are capable of occurring when it comes to stapling, including bleeding or leaks, and there are also potential complications with the anesthesia just like with any other surgery. All forms of gastric surgery may put you at a higher risk of developing disease of the gallbladder or gallstones. It is also important to know that you will only lose weight following this surgery if you eat healthily and exercise on a regular basis.