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Gastrectomy using the vertical sleeve technique is weight loss surgery that is described as ‘restrictive’ with about 85% of the stomach being removed. A sleeve shaped cylindrical stomach is left with a capacity of 60 to 150 cc. In contrast to some bariatric surgery, the nerves and the outlet valve to the stomach are left intact. This means that the function of the stomach is maintained although it has been drastically reduced in size. The sleeve gastrectomy is not reversible and should not be confused with other surgeries like the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, which is.
Following sleeve gastrectomy, the new stomach will continue to function normally which means that there are not as many food restrictions following surgery, although of course the quantity of food that the stomach can handle will be considerably less. It is this feature of the sleeve gastrectomy that is seen as an advantage by many patients who appreciate the fact that the removal of the majority of the stomach also has the effect of virtually eliminating the hormones that the stomach produces and that stimulate those hunger pangs.
One of the greatest advantages of gastric sleeve surgery is undoubtedly the fact that bypass of the intestinal tract is not necessary which means that patients are not vulnerable to some of the complications of intestinal bypass such as intestinal obstruction, anaemia, osteoporosis, vitamin deficiency and protein deficiency. It is also commonly used as the surgery of choice for patients who are anaemic, suffer from Crohn's disease and other conditions that might put them in the high-risk category for surgery involving intestinal bypass.
Another big advantage of the sleeve gastrectomy is that it represents one of the few laproscopically performed surgeries. In patients who are extremely overweight avoiding major invasive surgery is extremely advantageous and is another reason for the rising popularity of the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
Perhaps one of the few disadvantages of the sleeve gastrectomy is that it does not always result in the weight loss that patients expect and may, in the longer term, actually lead to the initial weight loss being regained. This fact is true of restrictive surgery in general but is perhaps especially true of the sleeve gastrectomy in particular.
The sleeve gastrectomy requires stapling of the stomach and patients occasionally suffer leakage and a few other complications that can be directly attributed to stapling. Other complications are those encountered with any surgery, which although rare, must be mentioned. These are post-operative bleeding, small bowel obstruction, pneumonia and even death.
The risk of these complications is very small and statistically represent about a figure that varies between 0.5 and 1%. Risk of death from this form of surgery at about 0 .25% is no higher than for any other form of surgery.
The vertical sleeve gastrectomy is best used for patients who are extremely overweight or where other medical conditions would rule out the possibilities of their undergoing other forms of surgery. Vertical sleeve gastrectomy would normally be the first step of a two-part surgical plan for an overweight patient. Once initial weight loss had been achieved, further bariatric surgery would then be considered as the surgical risk had fallen in tandem with the patient’s own weight loss.
[Last update: 3rd May 2010]
Gastric Sleeve
Introduction
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How Does The Sleeve Gastrectomy Work?
Gastrectomy using the vertical sleeve technique is weight loss surgery that is described as ‘restrictive’ with about 85% of the stomach being removed. A sleeve shaped cylindrical stomach is left with a capacity of 60 to 150 cc. In contrast to some bariatric surgery, the nerves and the outlet valve to the stomach are left intact. This means that the function of the stomach is maintained although it has been drastically reduced in size. The sleeve gastrectomy is not reversible and should not be confused with other surgeries like the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, which is.
Following sleeve gastrectomy, the new stomach will continue to function normally which means that there are not as many food restrictions following surgery, although of course the quantity of food that the stomach can handle will be considerably less. It is this feature of the sleeve gastrectomy that is seen as an advantage by many patients who appreciate the fact that the removal of the majority of the stomach also has the effect of virtually eliminating the hormones that the stomach produces and that stimulate those hunger pangs.
One of the greatest advantages of gastric sleeve surgery is undoubtedly the fact that bypass of the intestinal tract is not necessary which means that patients are not vulnerable to some of the complications of intestinal bypass such as intestinal obstruction, anaemia, osteoporosis, vitamin deficiency and protein deficiency. It is also commonly used as the surgery of choice for patients who are anaemic, suffer from Crohn's disease and other conditions that might put them in the high-risk category for surgery involving intestinal bypass.
Another big advantage of the sleeve gastrectomy is that it represents one of the few laproscopically performed surgeries. In patients who are extremely overweight avoiding major invasive surgery is extremely advantageous and is another reason for the rising popularity of the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
Perhaps one of the few disadvantages of the sleeve gastrectomy is that it does not always result in the weight loss that patients expect and may, in the longer term, actually lead to the initial weight loss being regained. This fact is true of restrictive surgery in general but is perhaps especially true of the sleeve gastrectomy in particular.
The sleeve gastrectomy requires stapling of the stomach and patients occasionally suffer leakage and a few other complications that can be directly attributed to stapling. Other complications are those encountered with any surgery, which although rare, must be mentioned. These are post-operative bleeding, small bowel obstruction, pneumonia and even death.
The risk of these complications is very small and statistically represent about a figure that varies between 0.5 and 1%. Risk of death from this form of surgery at about 0 .25% is no higher than for any other form of surgery.
The vertical sleeve gastrectomy is best used for patients who are extremely overweight or where other medical conditions would rule out the possibilities of their undergoing other forms of surgery. Vertical sleeve gastrectomy would normally be the first step of a two-part surgical plan for an overweight patient. Once initial weight loss had been achieved, further bariatric surgery would then be considered as the surgical risk had fallen in tandem with the patient’s own weight loss.
[Last update: 3rd May 2010]
