The gastric sleeve or vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery is an intervention in which a part of the stomach is removed leaving the remaining part in the form of a tube.
What does the gastric sleeve consist of?
The gastric sleeve consists of reducing the stomach by 80%, making the patient feel fuller. The part that is removed is the part that secretes the appetite hormone, so the feeling of hunger is significantly reduced.
This procedure is performed under general anesthesia and is performed by laparoscopy, a minimally invasive way.
The surgical technique used consists of stapling with special laparoscopic material using a reinforced suture and an electric stapler. When the two parts of the stomach are joined together, a long vertical tube is created.
The incisions made are small and the duration of the intervention depends on the difficulty of the case, but usually no more than 60-90 minutes. After the operation, the patient is hospitalized for two nights and can return to normal life within a week.
After the operation, the food is taken in small amounts throughout the day. The food is incorporated in a progression of textures, starting with liquids, reaching the soft foods and concluding with a normal diet one month after the operation.
Advantages of the gastric sleeve
This technique is applied by many surgeons since it does not alter any portion of the digestive system, as gastric bypass and duodenal switch surgery do. This allows patients to recover quickly and avoid malabsorption problems, reducing possible complications.
Who can undergo gastric sleeve surgery?
Experts do not recommend the indiscriminate application of gastric banding, since it involves certain risks that must be taken into account. It is recommended in unsuccessful cases of dietary, pharmacological and behavior modification treatments.
Results of gastric sleeve surgery
The results are variable from one patient to another, depending on the necessary adherence to the lifestyle changes that the surgery represents. Typically, patients usually lose more than half of their weight between 12 and 18 months after surgery.
Almost all patients who undergo gastric sleeve surgery and change their eating and exercise habits do not regain the weight they have lost.