Gastric sleeve surgery is a weight loss option for those looking for a more permanent solution than lap band, but with fewer side effects than bypass. This form of bariatric surgery is for obese individuals who have tried other ways of reaching a healthy weight. If you are thinking about a surgical approach to weight management, sleeve gastrectomy is less invasive than other procedures.

What is Sleeve Gastrectomy?

Sleeve gastrectomy means the surgical reduction and remodeling of the stomach pouch. Cutting back on caloric intake is the only way to drop extra pounds that put you at risk for chronic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

In order to lose weight, one must eat fewer calories than burned each day. This forces the body to look for other sources of energy, specifically stored fat. Gastric sleeve surgery reduces the size of the stomach, so an individual feels fuller with much less food. Eating less means fewer calories and natural weight loss.

The Procedure

The name “sleeve” comes from the reshaping of the stomach pouch. A surgeon removes as much as 85 percent of the stomach to create a banana or sleeve shaped organ. This adjustment to stomach size is permanent unlike other procedures such as lap band. The laparoscopic surgery takes only about an hour to complete, and patients can expect to be in the hospital for just a few days. Total down time is around two weeks.

Weight Loss

The actual weight loss varies by patient. Resection of the stomach means a person cannot eat a lot in a sitting. In one year, patients who follow the program can lose up to 60 percent of excess weight. This is not a guaranteed fix for obesity, but a tool to meet weight loss goals along with diet and exercise.

Is Gastric Sleeve Surgery Right for Everyone?

Sleeve gastrectomy is an extreme solution, so it is not right for every person. It would be recommended only for those who need to lose at least 100 pounds or who have a body mass index of 40 or more. It may also be appropriate for an individual with a health problem related to obesity such as sleep apnea or diabetes. It is an option if other means of weight loss fail.

Are There Risks Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

Any surgery comes with certain risks, but sleeve gastrectomy is a less invasive bariatric solution. It has fewer side effects than gastric bypass. For example, there is no need to alter the intestines with this approach so no risk of nutritional deficiency caused by the procedure. Tools like bypass or even lap band often lead to dumping syndrome. This is not a side effect of gastric sleeve surgery, however.

Patients who opt for sleeve gastrectomy have a shorter recovery time than other bariatric procedures with as much or even better success rates. Clinical studies show that obesity is a primary risk to your health. Sleeve surgery is an option that can make you feel better and improve your quality of life.

Image source: License: Royalty Free or iStock source: depositphoto.com
About the author: Clair Montgomery is a health and weight loss blogger with several articles on Gastric Sleeve procedure and its benefits.