Gastric sleeve surgery is one of the most common bariatric procedures performed in the United States for weight loss.
In this procedure, the bariatric surgeon removes part of your stomach and joins the remaining portions of it to make a banana-sized pouch (also referred to as the “sleeve”). With the change in the size of the stomach, you feel full a lot quicker than before.
What can you expect during a gastric sleeve?
Most cases of gastric sleeve surgeries are performed laparoscopically. This is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a flexible thin tube, inserted into the abdomen through several small incisions. This tube features a light, camera, and various specialized instruments.
Performed under general anesthesia, your surgeon divides your stomach unequally into two parts. About 80 percent of the outer curve of your stomach is removed while the remaining 20 percent of the edges are joined together either through staples or sutures. This creates a banana-shaped sleeve that’s only 25 percent of your original stomach.
Is it effective in helping you lose weight?
Gastric sleeve surgery contributes to your weight loss in two ways:
- the smaller stomach size means you’ll get full quickly, which means you’ll stop eating sooner
- the part of your stomach responsible for producing the hunger hormone ghrelin is removed so you’ll not feel as hungry as before
Results of the surgery can vary as this can depend on a lot of factors including one’s commitment to the changes (i.e. new diet, exercise plan, follow-up care).
Many gastric sleeve patients lose about 50 percent of their excess weight within 18 to 24 months after their surgery. There are even those who reported losing about 60 to 70 percent of their excess weight.
Are you a candidate?
Not everyone qualifies for a gastric sleeve. General qualifications for this surgery include having a BMI score of 40 or higher or having a BMI score of 35 to 39 with at least one significant obesity-related condition. You should also be able to show that there was very little or no improvement at all with previous weight loss attempts, including those that were done under medical supervision.
Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons in Knoxville has a supportive and experienced bariatric team. To help you make a more informed choice in this very important procedure, we offer a FREE information seminar to all our new patients. This is your very first step in committing to a healthier you. The seminar is conveniently offered online. To view the Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons seminar, visit https://seminar.foothillsweightloss.com/.
From there, our staff will guide you on what to do next.
For questions, you may call us at (865) 984-3413.
Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons is part of Premier Surgical Bariatrics in Knoxville, Tennessee. Foothills is affiliated with the Fort Sanders Center for Bariatric Surgery, a division of Covenant Health Bariatric Services.