Gastric Sleeve Surgery for Weight Loss
The gastric sleeve procedure — also called sleeve gastrectomy — is often an option for people who are not eligible to safely have other bariatric procedures.
| Description: |
Removes part of the stomach and creates a new, tube-shaped stomach or “sleeve.” Surgery is irreversible. |
| Method: |
In most cases, your bariatric surgeon will perform this surgery laparoscopically, making several small 1/4- to 1/2-inch abdominal incisions. |
| How you lose weight: |
Reduces the size of the stomach and restricts the amount of food you can eat at one time, helping you feel full sooner. |
| Weight loss: |
Weight loss is slower than gastric bypass. Expect to lose 50 to 80 percent of excess body weight within 12 months after surgery. |
| Surgery time: |
About an hour. |
| Hospital stay: |
Two to three days. |
| Recovery time: |
Two to four weeks. |
Gastric Sleeve: A First Step for Some People
Although the number of stand-alone gastric sleeve procedures is increasing, many times this surgery is a first step in a two-part process.
For people who are either extremely obese or have health problems that make them ineligible for gastric bypass surgery, the gastric sleeve procedure is an option to help them start losing weight.
After a few years, most people lose enough weight to complete the second step of the process — typically with the duodenal switch procedure — for further weight loss.
What to Expect During Gastric Sleeve Surgery
After you receive general anesthesia, your bariatric surgeon will:
- Make several small incisions on your abdomen to insert the laparoscope — a tool with a light and a tiny camera that sends pictures to a nearby computer monitor.
- Remove about three-quarters of your stomach along the outside curvature.
- Create a new stomach in the shape of a thin tube or “sleeve.”
- The sleeve spans the original distance from the esophagus to the small intestine.
- The pyloric valve — the normal outlet that controls the release of food from the stomach to the small intestine — continues to function normally.
Risks of Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Some of the risks and complications of gastric sleeve surgery include:
- Infection
- Leakage of the sleeve
- Blood clots
Your bariatric surgeon will review all potential risks and complications with you prior to surgery.