The gastric sleeve, which is also known as vertical sleeve gastrectromy or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, is a relatively new bariatric surgery. Weight loss surgery methods like lap band and gastric bypass are well-known, but now gastric sleeve surgery is also making its ways into more bariatric surgery offices.
The difference with this procedure is that it is commonly performed on patients who are too heavy to have gastric bypass or lap band. It is seen as the starting ground to lose weight so that a person can get down to an acceptable weight for these other bariatric surgeries. Although this procedure is much safer than other weight loss surgery options, there are still gastric sleeve complications that people need to be aware of.
What is Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
Gastric sleeve surgery involves taking out 50 to 60% of the overweight patient's stomach so that the stomach that is left resembles a sleeve or tube. Instead of one large incision being made for this procedure, a few small incisions are made by the doctor to view the stomach and remove the necessary parts of the organ.
A small camera is inserted into one of the incisions so that the surgeon can see what he is doing during the procedure. With a careful hand, the surgeon removes the section of the stomach and uses staples to seal it back up. Since there is no large open incision made during this weight loss surgery, recovery time is usually much shorter when compared to gastric bypass.
The gastric sleeve procedure is performed under general anesthesia and takes no more than two hours. The patient is usually kept under medical care in the hospital for 24 to 48 hours after the surgery. A full gastric sleeve recovery may take anywhere from a week to a month. After surgery the patient is put on a liquid diet, just like the other weight loss surgeries, and slowly progresses back to solid foods.
Anybody who is considering this procedure must realize that the gastric sleeve is non-reversible.
Most commonly after a patient has had this weight loss surgery they will have a second procedure, such as gastric bypass, done as well. This is called a "stage" approach to weight loss for people who are morbidly obese or who have BMI (body mass index) of over 50.
Gastric Sleeve Complications
Although this procedure is less risky than gastric bypass, duodenal switch, and lap band surgery, it is still major surgery and comes with complications. There are a few gastric sleeve complications that are very similar to the other weight loss surgeries.
The biggest complication from having gastric sleeve surgery is leaking from the stomach. Since the stomach is sealed with staples during the surgery, there is always a risk that the stomach acids can leak out of a small hole in the organ. This can cause a serious infection in the patient and possibly permanent harm to their stomach and other areas around the stomach.
Just as with any other major surgery, blood clots and incision infections are also a possible gastric sleeve complication. Because the person who is having the weight loss surgery weighs so much to begin with and may have poor circulation, they are at a greater risk of suffering from a blood clot after surgery. Infections around the incisions must also be watched very carefully.
The amazing thing about the human stomach is that it stretches out over time. This means that even though a person has this bariatric surgery and removes 60% of their stomach, that sleeve that is left can still stretch out over time. The weight that is lost after the procedure can easily be gained back over time if a person does not follow the proper diet and exercise. In other words, the gastric sleeve procedure is not a "quick fix" but requires a lifetime of healthy eating and exercise.
People who are considering this procedure must look at the gastric sleeve complications and weigh the pros and cons of having the surgery done. Even though this weight loss surgery is rather new, there are studies showing that patients lose an average of 30% - 50% of their weight after this surgery is done. Losing this much weight can dramatically improve an obese person's health, but there are definite risks involved that need to be considered before signing up for gastric sleeve surgery.
Source:
Yourbariatricsurgeryguide.com (accessed 6/23/2010)
Tiffany Brunskole - Tiffany is a freelance writer and web marketer. She has over three years of experience writing quality content for the web. She spends ...
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