Gastric Sleeve Surgery: Get The Facts
In recent years, gastric sleeve surgery has gained widespread attention among the various types of bariatric procedures that are performed to permanently reduce stomach size. Also known as gastric sleeve resection and vertical sleeve gastrectomy, gastric sleeve surgery helps patients lose weight by diminishing hunger and thus food intake. Unlike other weight loss surgeries, gastric sleeve surgery does not use intestinal rerouting or food malabsorption.
In the past, bariatric surgeons used the gastric sleeve surgery as the first procedure in a two-stage operation. At a later date, surgeons typically did a second procedure – the gastric bypass or a duodenal switch surgery. Separating the surgeries into parts was intended to make the procedure safer for high-risk patients, particularly those with a BMI (body mass index) of 50 or 60, or who had other health problems that ruled out having only a single restrictive and and/or malabsorptive surgery.
But now more and more bariatric surgeons are doing the gastric sleeve surgery as an independent operation for patients who have a significant amount of weight to lose. The procedure is done to create a stomach pouch that is smaller than in that seen in other types of weight loss surgery. The surgeon will remove up to 60-80% of the stomach, leaving just a slender tube, or “sleeve” for the new stomach pouch. As a result of this procedure, hunger can be controlled due to the smaller sized stomach. Also, the part of the stomach that is cut out is completely removed from the body, unlike in other procedures that leave it in place.
It is important to note that the gastric sleeve procedure is not reversible. And overall, it is a less complicated operation than either gastric bypass or duodenal switch surgery, since the pyloric valve and small intestine are left intact. Also, no medical devices are implanted in the body during a gastric sleeve procedure, unlike the adjustable gastric banding surgery.
Studies have shown that patients who have the stand-alone procedure typically lose from 60-70% of their excess weight in a two-year period. Patients who feel their weight loss has been insufficient may choose to have a second, malabsorptive weight loss procedure, such as the duodenal switch.
Of course, healthy weight loss following bariatric surgery depends on the patient’s willingness to adopt a new lifestyle, which includes changes in eating habits and getting regular exercise. It is essential for patients to avoid high-calorie, high-fat foods and drinks. Most bariatric surgeons advise their patients to eat several small meals throughout the day. In the immediate aftermath of gastric sleeve surgery, a patient will be required to stay on a liquid diet for up to two weeks, in order to let the body heal. For the first couple of years after weight loss surgery, a patient will drastically reduce calorie intake, which is limited to about 600-800 calories daily. When the weight target is reached, this may increase to 1,000-1,200 calories per day. Within about 6 weeks of the procedure, the diet can progress from liquids to solid foods.
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