Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Gastric sleeve surgery is a relatively new form of weight loss surgery. It is highly sought-after by many morbidly obese patients, who have failed to lose weight despite following numerous diet plans and working out religiously.

Gastric sleeve is a restrictive form of weight loss surgery, which aims to combat obesity by limiting the food intake capacity of the patient. This is made possible by surgically reducing the size of the stomach to nearly one-fourth its original size.

Patients facing financial constraints often consider traveling to Mexico or India for getting a gastric sleeve as cost of weight loss surgeries in these countries is lower than the costs in the developed countries.

Traditionally performed as the initial weight loss surgery in a two-stage bariatric procedure, gastric sleeve surgery has been given the thumbs up as a stand-alone obesity procedure by several research studies, including a study called “Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for morbid obesity” by Iannelli, Dainese, Piche, Facchiano, and Guggenheim, published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology in 2008.

Initially, this obesity surgery had its share of skeptics on account of lack of credible studies on its effectiveness. With the release of results of numerous studies establishing its efficacy as a weight loss surgery, gastric sleeve procedure is touted to be the most preferred obesity surgery in the near future. The American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery is expected to alter its policy statement on gastric sleeve surgery and issue a new statement in the light of availability of more "robust literature".

What happens in sleeve gastrectomy?

Known by a number of alternative names such as gastric sleeve resection, sleeve gastrectomy, vertical sleeve gastrectomy, sleeve gastroplasty and greater curvature gastrectomy, gastric sleeve surgery involves stapling the stomach so as to reduce its size. The stapled stomach resembles a banana and has a food accommodation capacity lower than the capacity of a non-stapled stomach.

In the process of removing nearly 75 percent of the stomach along its major curve, that portion of the stomach in which the hunger inducing hormone called Ghrelin is produced, also gets removed. Gastric sleeve surgery has a twofold effect. The patient will feel sated on consuming a small quantity of food because of the reduced size of the stomach and will also be able to keep bouts of hunger at bay because of reduced production of the hunger-inciting hormone Ghrelin.

Who are the candidates for gastric sleeve?

Candidates with BMI of 40 or more are suitable for this procedure. Patients with BMI from 35 to 39 can also consider sleeve gastrectomy, provided they suffer from medical conditions which are outcomes of obesity, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol levels and, heart related conditions. Post surgery, alcohol is a strict no-no. Intended patients will have to consider the fact that they will not be able to binge on alcohol after getting a gastric sleeve.

Benefits of gastric sleeve surgery

• Gastric sleeve surgery is carried out laparoscopically and is minimally invasive.
• It can result in tremendous weight loss from 30 to 60 percent and that too in a period of twelve months.
• This weight loss procedure also results in controlling obesity-related medical conditions.
• Patients do not have to rely on nutritional supplements, as gastric sleeve is not a malabsorptive weight loss surgery, unlike gastric bypass.
• Stomach cramps and nausea, which are common side-effects of other bariatric surgeries, are observed less frequently.

Disadvantages of sleeve gastrectomy

• It is a permanent, irreversible procedure.
• One might face difficulty in finding experienced bariatric surgeons for this surgery, on account of it being a novel weight loss procedure.

As a result of the increasing incidence of obesity all over the world, along with increased prevalence of obesity-related conditions, observing dietary moderation and staying physically active have become imperative. Though weight loss surgeries, including gastric sleeve surgery, can be quite effective in fighting obesity, the candidates should consult bariatric surgeons, do their bit of research, and thoroughly weigh the pros and cons before opting for this procedure.

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