Gastric Sleeve 

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Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery

(click here to see the vertical sleeve gastrectomy in pictures!)

This procedure removes 90 percent of your stomach and throws it in the garbage. It CANNOT be reversed!

That means that everything digested in the stomach including B12, protein, and fat will be undigested or poorly digested and you can NEVER get your stomach back once it's removed!

There is NO EVIDENCE that this procedure is "safer" than the gastric bypass. It's JUST NEWER that's all.

Want to see where you may be long term with a gastric sleeve? 30 year patient with stomach stapling only - still has all of her stomach:  Click here

Gastrectomy is a combination of two Latin words: gastro, meaning “stomach,” and -ectomia, which means “to cut out.”

Advantages

  • Supposed to be safer on the long term than the gastric bypass but there is no long term data yet
  • Less food gets stuck, MAYBE, but because your stomach is about the size of a thumb, YOU CAN GET THINGS STUCK or have food NOT go down.
  • They say there are no vitamin deficiencies with this procedure but THERE IS NO PROOF and this 30 year gastroplasty patient has MANY vitamin deficiencies

Risks

  • NEW procedure - safety NOT KNOWN.
  • NEW procedure - weight loss after a few years NOT KNOWN (but with most WLS the retained weight loss after a few years is dependent on the patient dieting and exercising.
  • NOT reversible at all.
  • A stomach the size of a thumb is IN NO WAY "fully functional"
  • May get reflux of food and acid.
  • The risk of death with the gastric sleeve is likely considerably less than the bypass but higher than with the adjustable lap band.
  • In the long term, you may be in higher risk for a herniated stomach or distention of the esophagus.  Some patients have complained that the tiny part of the stomach left can "twist"
  • Will probably need vitamin B12 shots
  • SMOKING will make ANY WLS repercussions MUCH WORSE.
  • Complications can occur with the stapling, such as leaks or bleeding.
  • What's left of your stomach may stretch in time.
  • Many foods that you eat now may cause discomfort, nausea or vomiting after your surgery.
  • Any WLS puts you at higher than normal risk of developing gallstones and gallbladder disease.
  • Unlike the lap band, the amount of restriction is not adjustable.  If you need a revision, it's another risky surgery.
  • With any weight loss surgery, you may not maintain your weight loss unless you eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. That's why long term follow up is important.

NOTE: Since this is a reasonably new procedure, many insurance companies may not cover this surgery.  Also, there is a lack of published evidence for sustained weight loss beyond 3 years however even with WLS surgeries on which studies exist, the evidence suggests that most patients do NOT retain much weight off.  The Swedish Obesity study reported at the 10 year point after gastric bypass and VBG, the average retained weight loss was 16 percent of the original weight and that only 35 percent of those with diabetes were still "disease free"