LAPAROSCOPIC GASTRIC SLEEVE

Sleeve Gastrectomy is one the newest procedures added to help fight obesity. It differs from both the Lap-Band and the gastric bypass in that there are no foreign objects left in the abdominal cavity, nor are we re-routing the intestines. The sleeve gastrectomy is considered a restrictive procedure. It works in two ways; first using a stapling device, the stomach is divided creating a narrow section called the “sleeve”. This section “restricts” the volume food a patient can ingest at one time resulting in early satiety. Secondly, by removing the excess stomach (80% of the total volume of the stomach), populations of cells which contain the hunger stimulation hormone Ghrelin that are thought to contribute in the stimulation of hunger are removed. There is no intestinal bypass with a Sleeve Gastrectomy limiting nutritional deficiencies.  Weight loss from the Sleeve is similar to that of Gastric Banding, but is less than weight loss with Gastric Bypass.

The Sleeve gastrectomy has been growing in popularity all over the United States.  It is covered by most insurance companies and has been approved by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery as a primary operation.

The actual surgery takes approximately 2 hours and most patients will stay in the hospital for 1-2 days.  Recovery times vary, but patients generally return to work and normal activities within 1-2 weeks. Because the surgery uses laparoscopic techniques, patients experience less post-operative pain, recover quicker, and return to normal activities sooner in comparison to other forms of surgery. It is important to know that since the majority of the stomach has been removed, the sleeve gastrectomy is an irreversible procedure.  It can be converted to other weight loss procedures such as a gastric bypass, however, and some surgeons use the Sleeve as a first step in a two-step process in very high risk patients.  Unlike the Lap-Band it does not require in office adjustments.

After surgery our patients are placed on a specific diet which enables them to lose weight in a safe manner without compromising the healing process. Weight loss can be noticed in a matter of weeks or even days.

Rest assured that our team is committed to helping you achieving lifelong results. We are prepared to work with you before, during, and after your procedure to ensure that the weight comes off and stays off.