Gastric Sleeve

A sleeve gastrectomy or gastric sleeve surgery is a type of bariatric surgery used by patients from all around the world to lose weight in a safe and fast way. Gastric sleeve surgery is a medical procedure in which surgeons remove part of the stomach and combine the remaining portions to make a new stomach look like a banana or a "sleeve." 

Through this procedure, the stomach is reduced to just 25% of its original size, thus inhibiting the consumption of large quantities of food in one go. Although the procedure is irreversible and the size of the stomach is permanently reduced, some patients may experience dilatation of the stomach 10-20 years after the surgery.

The gastric sleeve procedure is recently the most popular bariatric surgery procedure among the other treatments such as gastric bypass or gastric band, with over half of patients choose the gastric sleeve for their weight loss treatment.

The cost of gastric sleeve surgery may seem highat first glance. However, patients who prefer abroad treatment options in countries such as Turkey, the risk would be minimized because of the experience of the doctors and would have been treated at a much lower price.

Gastric Sleeve Candidates

Gastric sleeve surgery or sleeve gastrectomy is recommended for patients suffering from obesity or morbid obesity, as it is such a severe health condition that affects various systems of the body. Patients with a body mass index of 40 and over are considered morbidly obese, and this is a type of medical condition where the patient has accumulated so much body fat that it has a negative effect on the patient’s health, effectively limiting their life expectancy. 

Am I Suitable for Gastric Sleeve?

A sleeve gastrectomy or gastric sleeve surgery may not be suitable for extremely overweight individuals as the surgery itself can be life-threatening. In some cases, it’s best to wait and lose some weight under physician supervision and with the help of well-planned diet and exercise program before undergoing surgery.

Preparing for Gastric Sleeve

The patient should stop using blood thinners such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and vitamin E at least 2 weeks before the gastric sleeve surgery. At least 3 weeks before the surgery, the patient should stop smoking as it can interfere with the anesthesia and then the recovery period.

How is Gastric Sleeve Performed?

The patient is administered general anesthesia, and the surgeon may begin to work on removing part of the stomach and the fundus. Since gastric sleeve surgery is a laparoscopic procedure, around 6 incisions are created around the abdomen area. During the gastric sleeve surgery, the surgeon removes most of the stomach. The remaining part of the stomach is joined together using surgical staples. A long tube or banana-shaped stomach has been created when this process completes and the small cuts(incisions) used are stitched closed. The entire surgery takes about 60 to 90 minutes to complete. 

At the end of the operation, around 25% of the stomach will remain and function as normal, still connected to the small intestine and the esophagus.

Gastric Sleeve Summary

Gastric Sleeve Recovery

Patients usually spend around 4 days in hospital after the surgery and the whole recovery period lasts about 4 weeks, after which they can safely return to work and their daily activities. Patients need to follow a special sleeve gastrectomy diet during the recovery period, effectively avoiding solid food for a few weeks.In this way, the recovery will be more comfortable and the adaptation of the "new" stomach to the body and the systems can be achieved more smoothly.

Gastric Sleeve Risks and Complications

Gastric sleeve complications are rare, but they can happen. The frequency of complications depends on the patient’s state of health, the technique used by the surgeon and the general situation of the recovery period. Gastric sleeve complications can include: 

● Leaking of the sleeve 
● Bleeding 
● Infection 
● Formation of blood clots 
● Gastroparesis 
● Pain in the esophagus 
● Vagus nerve damage 

● Sleeve dilation

● Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD):

● Gallstones
 

Around 3% of patients suffer from any gastric sleeve complications in the first 30 days after a sleeve gastrectomy.

Gastric Sleeve Side Effects

Gastric sleeve side effects can include: 
● Nausea from the anesthesia 
● Aversion to foods 
● Vomiting 

● Constipation

Gastric Sleeve Success Rates

Gastric sleeve has a 99% success rate according to patients’ reviews on their surgery results. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgery can help patients live a healthy life and improve eating habits according to the reviews.

Before and After Gastric Sleeve

The amount of weight the patient loses after gastric sleeve surgery or sleeve gastrectomy depends on the patient’s determination to follow the doctor’s post-op instructions. A proper diet needs to be followed regularly and kept following consistently.