Gastric sleeve surgery is a surgical weight loss surgery that permanently reduces the size of the stomach. Doctors may recommend it to obese people who do not think other weight loss strategies are effective.
During gastric sleeve surgery, the surgeon removes about 80% of the stomach. This limits the amount of food an individual can consume and helps to lose weight in the long run.
Although this surgery can help obese people, it is an important risky procedure. In addition, people can only maintain weight loss by following a sustainable diet and exercise plan.
This article describes how gastric sleeve surgery works and why experts recommend it. It also describes the long-term changes that people need to make to succeed.
Gastric sleeve surgery is one of several obesity surgeries for people with clinically severe obesity.Body mass index (BMI)
Gastric sleeve surgery is the most common weight loss surgery in the United States. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), it accounted for 59.4% of obesity surgery in 2019.
The procedure permanently reduces the size of the stomach. After surgery, the size of the stomach will be about 20% of its original size.
This reduced size limits the amount of food and liquid a person can consume and helps them feel full faster. It also limits the hunger signal over time by removing the part of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone ghrelin.
Your doctor may advise you to have gastric sleeve surgery if:
- Have a BMI of 40 or more
- BMI is 35-40 and has underlying health conditions such as sleep apnea, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes
- I tried other weight loss methods and found that they didn’t work
Gastric sleeve surgery is an invasive procedure that requires mental and physical preparation. One also needs to take into account weeks or months of recovery.
Before surgery
Before performing the procedure, surgery candidates must be enrolled in the Obesity Surgery Education Program. This may include helping them prepare for surgery, losing weight, stopping certain medications, and quitting smoking if applicable.
Individuals also receive nutritional counseling to help them stick to a balanced diet after surgery.
In addition to psychological evaluation, doctors perform blood tests, physical examinations, and imaging tests of the human stomach. They may also perform an upper endoscopy to check for abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract.
during surgery
People need general anesthesia for surgery. This causes them to fall asleep and they lose their memory of surgery.
During surgery, the surgeon makes several small incisions in the abdomen and uses laparoscopy by inserting surgical instruments and a scope. Using these tools, the surgeon isolates the stomach and uses surgical staples to remove up to 80% of the stomach. This narrows the vertical “sleeve”.
The surgeon removes the rest of the stomach through one of the incisions.
After surgery
Usually people
The healthcare team works with individuals to provide dietary nutrition and size advice while the stomach is healing.
Post-surgery meals are low and people need to focus on chewing food thoroughly. They may also need to take supplements to ensure they get enough vitamins and minerals. These can be difficult to obtain with a small meal.
Regular blood tests may also be needed to check iron, blood sugar, calcium, and vitamin D levels. Heartburn medications may be needed to reduce stomach acid.
Learn more about nutrition after gastric sleeve surgery.
Gastric bypass is another common obesity surgery. It involves dividing the stomach into two sections. A small part of the stomach becomes a new stomach, and a large part no longer stores or digests food. It helps people lose weight by reducing hunger, increasing satiety, and reducing hunger hormones.
According to ASMBS, this procedure is more technically complex than a stomach sleeve and has a high vitamin and mineral deficiency. In addition, recovery from gastric sleeve surgery is faster and the risk of complications is lower. For this reason, this is generally the preferred option.
However, gastric bypass usually leads to more important and faster weight loss.
After weight loss surgery, it may take 4-6 weeks to resume normal activity.
But even after a person has been physically healed from surgery, they still need to stick to certain recovery practices. Your doctor or dietitian recommends long-term diet and lifestyle changes to maintain healthy weight loss.
Their recommendations are:
- diet: People should drink plenty of water, follow guidelines on when to return to solid foods, and eat small amounts. They should also avoid foods that contain high levels of starch and sugar and choose high protein foods to prevent weakness and muscle loss.
- vitamin: You need to take vitamin supplements for the rest of your life. These usually include multivitamins, vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D, and iron.
- exercise: The healthcare team recommends moderate exercise for about 30 minutes daily. This helps the body recover faster and maintain weight loss.
- Smoking and alcohol: Medical experts advise that people should continue to avoid smoking after surgery. They will also recommend avoiding alcohol after surgery. This can have serious consequences.
- pregnancy: In general, people should avoid pregnancy for 12-18 months after weight loss surgery.
All weight loss surgery, including gastric sleeve surgery, is the primary surgery. However, the risk of serious complications and death is relatively rare. Studies show that the case fatality rate is close to 1 in 600.
Other risks and complications include:
- Blood clot: Surgery may increase the risk of blood clots in the lower extremities and lungs.
- infection: Wounds can become infected during healing and cause pain and swelling.
- leak: Food and fluids can leak from the stomach and can cause serious infections.
- Blocked intestines: Surgical scarring can clog the intestines and cause vomiting and pain.
- malnutrition: Not enough vitamins and minerals can cause malnutrition.
- Gallstone: Gallstones typically develop in the first 1-2 years after surgery.
Weight loss surgery improves the mental health of most people, but it can have a negative impact on others.according to
For this reason, doctors require people to be screened for mental health before undergoing surgery.
In the United States, the average cost of weight loss surgery typically ranges from $ 17,000 to $ 26,000. The insurance company usually bears most of the cost, but the coverage depends on your personal plans and you should contact the insurance company for more details.
Many insurance companies require people to participate in weight loss programs before surgery. This usually lasts 2-3 weeks, but can take up to 6 months.
Learn about Medicare coverage of gastric sleeve surgery.
Gastric sleeve surgery is the primary weight loss surgery that removes up to 80% of the stomach. This is one of the most common forms of obesity surgery in the United States.
Those who receive the procedure must enroll in a program that may include counseling, weight loss, and nutrition education. Recovery can take up to 6 weeks, and people need to take certain medications and supplements for the rest of their lives.
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