Gastric Sleeve

Gastric Sleeve - Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery:

Gastric Sleeve – an Effective Weight Loss/Bariatric Procedure:

A gastric sleeve is among the procedures known as bariatric or weight loss surgery.  Just like Gastric Bypass Surgery and Lap Band Surgery, the aim of a vertical sleeve gastrectomy is to change the way that food is absorbed by a patient’s body, with the aim of reducing the patient’s weight to a healthier and more manageable level.

Vertical leeve gastrectomy as a form of weight loss surgery is considered major surgery rather than cosmetic surgery. It is a medical process that is used to correct extreme obesity or obesity in patients who are in what are know as certain high-risk categories or conditions.

As with other bariatric or weight loss procedures, vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery is not an isolated procedure. Rather, it forms part of an entire treatment plan involving mental health specialists, physical therapists, nutritionists, internal medicine specialists and a surgeon.

The length of a gastric sleeve procedure is generally about 2 hours.

The length of the hospital stay for a gastric sleeve is usually 1 to 2 nights.

Recovery time after gastric sleeve surgery before you will be cleared to fly home is generally five to seven days .

You need gastric sleeve surgery if:

  • You have reached or exceeded a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40Kg/M2.
  • You have reached a Body Mass Index of 35Kg to 40Kg and you have some type of chronic clinical condition such as, but not limited to, diabetes and/or high blood pressure (hypertension.)
  • You have been advised by your physician that you have sleep apnea and that it will improve through weight loss or bariatric surgery such as a gastric sleeve.
  • You are still obese after having gone through several weight loss therapies to reduce obesity.

Details of the Gastric Sleeve Procedure:

Your weight loss surgeon will go over the details of the gastric sleeve procedure and techniques that will be used during the surgery. You will be placed under general anesthesia for a gastric sleeve procedure, and the surgical team will take over under the skilled direction of Doctor Jacobo Zafrani.

Sleeve Gastrectomy: During a gastric sleeve procedure, a portion of your stomach is removed laparoscopically, with the remaining part of the stomach being reshaped in the form of a sleeve. These alterations will cause the stomach to hold less food, and it will not stretch as it might in other procedures. A gastric sleeve procedure has an advantage over a lap band procedure in that there are no periodic adjustments required.

As with other weight loss procedures conducted by Doctor Jacobo Zafrani and his weight loss surgery team, the mortality rate for a gastric sleeve is less than 1%.

After Gastric Sleeve Surgery -

When you awaken from your gastric sleeve surgery, you may feel bloated, and  you may feel the need to constantly go to the bathroom. You need to be aware of the fact that left-over gas is going to work itself through your digestive system over the next few hours.

  • Foley Catheter: During gastric sleeve surgery, the need may arise to use a Foley Catheter, which is a tube placed in your bladder to drain urine into a bag. Urine must be drained from your system in order to avoid unnecessary complications.
  • Deep Breathing: As part of your recovery and in order to avoid complications from your surgery, you will be required to do some deep breathing exercises. Every hour on the hour, you will be required to take a series of 10 deep breaths, and your physician may prescribe a spirometer in order to help you accomplish this task.
  • Deep  Venous Thrombosis Prevention: DVT or Deep Venous Thrombosis is a very serious complication, and it may develop because you will be lying down for long perios of time, and the blood in your legs will become static, which will then have a tendency to form clots. DVT is undoubtedly preventible, and precautions may include medication, pneumatic boots, or pressure stockings. Special exercises can be prescribed by your doctor or physical therapist for you to perform at home and finish your recovery.
  • Diet: You will have to change the way you eat as a consequence of your surgery. You will have a nutritionist to guide you in the proper way to adjust the way you eat after surgery.
  • Walking: You will be instructed on when it will be safe to walk and perform other activities by your surgical team.

Medications: These depend on the particular patient, and the physician or doctor may prescribe medications while you are in the hospital. The nursing staff will explain the alternatives, risks and benefits to the medications listed below:

  • Antibiotics: In order to reduce the risk of infection, your physician or surgeon may prescribe antibiotics. You must inform your physician or doctor if you have had an adverse reaction or if you are allergic to medication.
  • Anti-nausea medication: Anesthesia has a tendency to cause nausea in some people, and you will be given the proper medication if you are made nauseous by the anesthesia that will be used during surgery.
  • Pain medication: You will receive a pain management plan after surgery which may include medicine, a catheter placed in your spine, or a self-control pump.  Even though you will have undergone major surgery, pain after surgery should be minimal.
  • Sleep medication: Sleep is essential to help with healing, and getting rest often speeds up recovery. You will be given sleep medication during the first few nights so that you can sleep comfortably.
  • Other medications: Medications are to be administered according to the surgeon’s recommendations since each patient is unique.

Alternatives and Risks to Gastric Sleeve Treatment:

Any surgical procedure, whether major or minor, has inherent risks. These risks are often minimal, but you do need to be aware of them. Additionally, each patient is different, so each patient will present different risks which should be fully discussed with the physician and/or surgeon before gastric sleeve surgery is performed.

The main risk in relation to anesthesia is allergic reactions to the medications used in it, and you may also experience breathing difficulties during or after gastric sleeve surgery. Since you will be aware of the possible reactions or problems, you should make your surgeon or physician aware of any adverse reactions the moment you begin to experience them.

You must contact your surgeon after gastric sleeve surgery if:

  • You start to feel hot or feverish.
  • Your wound begins to ooze or it feels hot.
  • The problems that you had surgery for do not improve or get worse.
  • You have excessive pain in your legs.
  • You develop pain or a burning sensation during urination.

For more information regarding Gastric Sleeve Surgery (Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery), please call 1-866-665-6433.

Read the Wikipedia article on gastric sleeve surgery.