Gastric Sleeve Surgery- What Is It?

Gastric sleeve surgery

Gastric sleeve surgery is also known as sleeve gastrectomy. It is a surgical weight loss procedure. This procedure involves inserting small instruments by doing small incisions in the upper abdomen. This procedure is usually done laparoscopically. Sleeve gastrectomy removes about 80% of the abdomen. The only part left is a tube-shaped stomach about the size of a banana.

The human stomach usually digests all kinds of food. But after surgery, there is a need to reduce the amount of food. In addition, this procedure assists in weight loss by doing some hormonal changes. These hormonal changes also help cure various diseases like high blood pressure and other heart diseases.

What is the need to do gastric sleeve surgery?

Gastric sleeve surgery helps to lose excess weight. Overweight persons are at increased risk of life-threatening conditions. It helps to prevent these persons from these diseases. These diseases include:

• Heart diseases
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased cholesterol level
• Type II diabetes
• Stroke
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Infertility

What are the indications for gastric sleeve surgery?

Gastric sleeve surgery is indicated after you fail to lose weight by diet or exercise. Gastric sleeve surgery can be a good option for you if:

• Your body mass index exceeded 40 or more than this, indicating extreme obesity.
• Your body mass index ranges from 35 to 39, and you suffer from various health problems. You may go for any other weight-loss surgery if you have severe health problems.

How long does it take?

Gastric sleeve surgery usually takes about two hours. There is a need for hospitalization for the patient for about one to two days. Surgery usually requires small incisions laparoscopically, so it may take some time for the procedure.

Weight loss changes before and after gastric sleeve surgery:

Gastric sleeve surgery offers different results for different individuals. This usually varies from person to person. Therefore, there are no such specific results after gastric sleeve surgery. Patients lost weight according to their body mass index.

Gastric sleeve surgery cost

There is a different cost for gastric sleeve cost for surgery in different areas of the world. In the United States, the average cost ranges from 9000$-27000$. The cost typically lowers down if your insurance covers gastric sleeve surgery. Insurance pays almost 80% of the cost, lowering the amount to almost 80%.

Gastric sleeve surgery recovery time:

Usually, gastric sleeve surgery is laparoscopic. It takes two to three days to stay in the hospital after surgery. People usually continue their normal routine within three to five days. As the incisions are small, it recovers earlier than the larger open incisions. In this way, it takes a few weeks to completely heal.

Gastric sleeve surgery weight loss journey:

According to the American Society of metabolic and bariatric surgery, gastric sleeve surgery can reduce at least 50 percent of the excess weight. This weight loss journey usually requires 18 to 24 months after gastric sleeve surgery. There are also some people who can lose about 60 to 70 percent of the excess weight.

The most important thing to remember is to follow a diet and proper exercise plan by your surgeon. With these lifestyle changes, you can enjoy long-term weight loss.

How to restart weight loss after gastric sleeve surgery?

 It is not common for patients to suddenly lose weight after gastric sleeve surgery. This procedure shrinks the stomach volume. There is a proper need to continue weight loss after gastric sleeve surgery. The stomach has the capacity to grow and stretch after healing. Surgical inflammation and scarring prevent the stomach’s ability to grow. Once it heals, your stomach may grow to adjust more food and calories.

Restart your weight loss by a pouch reset. When your stomach is empty, it’s just as small as the size of a fist. When you eat, it expands to accommodate more food. The pouch reset includes eating guidelines. These are as follows:

Day one – clear liquids like water, broth

Day two – full liquids like low-fat yogurt, thin oatmeal

Day three – pureed food like low-fat cottage cheese, hummus

Day four – soft foods like cereals, steamed fish

Day five – solid foods

By this pattern, you will surely feel fuller and healthier without gaining enough weight

Weight loss chart after gastric sleeve surgery:

Weight loss varies from person to person. It also depends on the body mass index of the patient. Let us have a look at the detailed weight loss chart after gastric sleeve surgery.

For patients weighing 200 to 250 lbs:

• 10 pounds in the first 10 days
• 15 to 25 pounds in starting 6 weeks
• 25 to 35 pounds in earlier 3 months
• 35 to 45 pounds in the first 6 months
• 60 pounds or more in 12 months
• 70 pounds or greater in 18 months

For patients weighing 250 to 300 lbs

• 10 to 12 pounds in the  first 10 days
• 15 to 25 pounds in starting 6 weeks
• 25 to 35 pounds in earlier 3 months
• 45 to 60 pounds in 6 months
• 80 pounds or more in 12 months
• 90 pounds or greater in 18 months

For patients weighing 300 to 400 lbs:

• 10 to 30 pounds in the first 10 days
• 25 to 45 pounds in starting 6 weeks
• 35 to 55 pounds in earlier 3 months
• 50 to 80 pounds in 6 months
• 100 pounds or more in 12 months
• 120 pounds or greater in 18 months

For patients weighing 400 to 500 lbs:

• 10 to 30 pounds in the first 10 days
• 25 to 45 pounds  in starting 6 weeks
• 35 to 60 pounds in earlier 3 months
• 50 to 90 pounds in 6 months
• 120 pounds or more in 12 months
• 150 pounds or greater in 18 months

Average monthly weight loss after gastric sleeve surgery:

Average monthly weight loss varies from person to person. In the starting months after gastric sleeve surgery, people usually lost more weight due to different diet plans. There is a gradual decrease after every passing year.

Most people lose about 0.9 to 1.8kg or 2-4 lbs per week for about six to twelve months. In this way, it counts about 8 to 16 pounds weight loss after every month. After six to twelve months, there is a more need to focus on a healthy diet and exercise plans to prevent plateaus.

Gastric sleeve surgery weight loss timeline:

Weight loss depends on several factors like the surgeon’s skill, your BMI at the start, lifestyle, age, race, and various health-related conditions.

After 3 months:

Average weight loss of about 25-35% excess weight. It usually counts about 30 to 40 pounds weight loss.

After 6 months:

Average weight loss of about 45-55% of your body excess. It typically requires one to two pounds of weight loss per week.

After one year:

Average weight loss of about 65-70% of your excess body weight.

After 18 months:

Average weight loss of about 70-80% of excess body weight

Long term effects:

Patients most often lose 80-100% excess body weight after three years of gastric sleeve surgery.

What are the benefits of gastric sleeve surgery?

Gastric sleeve surgery also provides various beneficial effects other than weight loss. Here is the listing of benefits.

• Long-term remission phase for type II diabetic patients
• Improved cardiovascular health status
• Relieve from anxiety and depression
• Relief from joint pain
• Increases fertility rate
• Discards any other obesity-related health problems
• Eliminate obstructive sleep apnea

What are the complications of gastric sleeve surgery?

There is an advancement in surgical techniques and surgeon’s skills. These things make this procedure quite safe for the patients. Besides this, there is always a risk for complications to arise before any surgical procedure. These are some of the complications after gastric sleeve surgery.

• Increased bleeding
• Blood clot formation
• Heart burning
• Nutrient or vitamin deficiency
• Leakage from the staple line
• Stenosis or strictures
• Weight gain after one to two years
• Excess skin

Also read: 6 Important Signs of stomach

Conclusion:

Gastric sleeve surgery is a procedure done to lose weight. You can select this surgical procedure if you are unable to lose weight with diet changes and exercises. All you need is to undergo a surgical procedure of about 40-70 minutes. But after this, you need to manage your diet and perform proper physical exercises.

Continue follow-up visits to your surgeons after weight loss surgery. There is a strict monitoring requirement after gastric sleeve surgery.

Frequently asked questions(FAQs):