Sleeve Gastrectomy

Sleeve Gastrectomy, also known as gastric sleeve surgery, restricts the amount of food you can eat by reducing the size of the stomach. The minimally invasive procedure removes a portion of the stomach, making the stomach roughly the size and shape of a banana.

Patients who have had a sleeve gastrectomy feel full after eating much less. In addition, the surgery removes the portion of the stomach that produces a hormone that can make you feel hungry, so you won’t want to eat as much.

This procedure can be an excellent alternative to gastric bypass, and it is a simpler procedure because it doesn’t involve rerouting or reconnecting the intestines. Also, the sleeve gastrectomy doesn’t require implanting a banding device around a portion of the stomach.

Sleeve Gastrectomy/Gastric Bypass Two-Stage Operation

For certain patients, in particular those with a body mass index (BMI) greater thn 60, the sleeve gastrectomy may be the first part of a two-stage operation. In the staged approach, the operation is broken down into two simpler and safer operations. In the first stage, a sleeve gastrectomy is performed. This allows patients to lose around 100 pounds or more, making the second part of the operation substantially safer. Some people lose enough weight that they do not need any additional surgery. For those who continue to the next stage, the second procedure is usually performed eight to twelve months later, and the “Sleeve” stomach is converted to a gastric bypass.

Advantages:

• Weight loss is generally faster with the Sleeve than with Gastric Banding and almost equal to that of Gastric Bypass.
• There is no implantable band device, so slippage and erosion are not a risk.
• Short recovery time.

Disadvantages:

• Sleeve gastrectomy is not adjustable or reversible.
• Complication risks are slightly higher than with the Band and almost equal to that of gastric bypass.

Recovery Timeline:

• Hospital stay averages from 24-48 hours.
• Most patients return to normal activity within two weeks.
• Full surgical recovery usually occurs within three weeks.