Sleeve Gastrectomy for Weight Loss: What You Need to Know

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Sleeve gastrectomy, often called gastric sleeve surgery, is a bariatric surgical operation. Your stomach is substantially removed, leaving behind a little “sleeve.” Your stomach getting smaller aids in calorie restriction and lowers hunger cues. This procedure is available to help patients with clinically significant obesity lose weight.

In this article, take a deeper look at the gastric sleeve procedure to learn more about its advantages and disadvantages.

Why is it Done?

A sleeve gastrectomy is performed to assist you in losing extra weight and lower your risk of weight-related health issues that could be fatal, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnea, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, cancer, and infertility. For people with extreme obesity, getting a sleeve gastrectomy can change their lives. A sleeve gastrectomy not only sets people on the path to significant weight loss but also opens the door to better general health. Significant and long-lasting weight loss may result from the procedure’s twin methods of limiting food intake and affecting hormonal changes. 

Only after you’ve made an effort to reduce weight by altering your eating and exercise routines is a sleeve gastrectomy often performed.

Efficiency of Sleeve Gastrectomy

You can lose weight with a gastric sleeves operation in two different ways:

Since your stomach is quite small, you feel full sooner and quit eating. It means that you take in fewer calories.

You are no longer as hungry because the area of the stomach that produces the hormone ghrelin, which is connected to appetite, has been removed. Anticipate a weight reduction of at least 50% of your excess weight within the initial 18 to 24 months after undergoing sleeve gastrectomy surgery.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that these results happen only if you are dedicated to adhering to the diet and fitness regimen advised by your physician. You’re more likely to lose weight permanently if you make certain lifestyle adjustments. If you change some aspects of your lifestyle, your weight loss will be more likely to be long-term.

Eligibility Requirements

People with severe obesity (BMI of 40 or above) or people with a BMI of 35 to 39.9 who have obesity-related health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or sleep apnea may be candidates for a sleeve gastrectomy. Candidates are required to have a history of unsuccessful attempts to lose weight without surgery.

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Pre-Planning

When thinking about having a sleeve gastrectomy, preoperative preparation is essential. Your chances of having a successful treatment and a quicker recovery are increased if you take advantage of this preparatory time to make sure you are both physically and emotionally prepared. 

You might need to start an exercise routine and give up smoking in the weeks before your surgery. You might have limitations on what you can eat and drink and which drugs you can take before your treatment. The foundation for a successful sleeve gastrectomy treatment is preoperative planning. It improves your overall health, lowers the chance of problems, and leads to better long-term results.

Procedure and Recovery

Under general anesthesia, laparoscopic procedures are used to conduct a sleeve gastrectomy. To make sure you’re relaxed and pain-free throughout the treatment, anesthetic will be administered to you. To access the stomach, the surgeon makes a few tiny incisions in your belly. In comparison to conventional open surgery, these incisions are considerably smaller. Along the greater curvature, about 80–85% of the stomach is removed, leaving a sleeve-shaped piece remaining. Surgical staples or stitches are used to seal the leftover stomach. As a result, a long, narrow tube or sleeve is formed. The surgeon stitches or staples the incisions together after making sure there are no leaks.

You’ll stay in the hospital for a day or two after the procedure for observation and initial recovery. As required, fluids and painkillers are given intravenously. The postoperative diet will begin with clear liquids and gradually progress to pureed foods, soft foods, and eventually solid foods. A registered dietitian will guide you through this process. 

Conclusion

It’s essential to speak with a skilled bariatric surgeon if you’re thinking about having a sleeve gastrectomy. They will assess your medical background, go over the advantages and disadvantages, and assist you in deciding whether this surgery is the best fit for your weight loss objectives.

It is important to keep in mind that the state of medical knowledge might evolve over time; so, prior to undertaking any kind of surgical procedure, it is essential to see a physician and stay up to date on the results of the most recent research.