Gastric sleeve surgery is one of the types of bariatric surgery for managing obesity. This procedure entails eliminating or lowering the size of your stomach. Usually, sleeve gastrectomy results in quick weight loss.
Read on to learn about its effectiveness and potential risks of gastric sleeve surgery.
Is it effective?
Gastric sleeve surgery helps weight loss in two ways:
- Because your stomach is substantially smaller, you feel fuller sooner and quit eating sooner. This indicates you are consuming fewer calories.
- Because the region of your stomach that produces ghrelin, a hormone related to hunger, has been removed, you are less hungry.
The American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery estimates that you will lose at least half of your excess weight after 18 to 24 months of having gastric sleeve surgery. Some people lose 60 to 70% of their weight.
It’s vital to note that this will only happen if you commit to following your surgeon’s diet and exercise plan. If you make these lifestyle modifications, you’ll be more likely to keep the weight off in the long run.
Weight loss benefits
Losing a large amount of excess weight can enhance your quality of life and make many daily activities easier.
Another significant advantage of losing weight is a lower chance of obesity-related health problems.
These include:
- obstructive sleep apnea
- type 2 diabetes
- high blood pressure (hypertension)
- high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia)
What are the risks and complications?
Gastric sleeve surgery is regarded as a generally risk-free operation. However, like with any major surgery, there are risks and problems.
Almost any procedure can result in problems. These are some examples:
- Hemorrhage. When the bleeding from the surgical wound or inside your body is significant, it might cause shock.
- DVT is an abbreviation for deep vein thrombosis. Surgery and the recovery period can raise your chances of a blood clot forming in a vein, most commonly in a leg vein.
- Embolism of the lungs. A pulmonary embolism occurs when a piece of a blood clot breaks off and goes to the lungs.
- An irregular heartbeat. An irregular heartbeat, particularly atrial fibrillation, might be exacerbated by surgery.
- Pneumonia. Pain can cause shallow breathing, leading to a lung infection such as pneumonia.
Additional complications can arise with gastric sleeve surgery. Some of the potential negative effects of this operation include:
- Leaks in the stomach. Stomach fluids can leak from the suture line sewn back together in your stomach.
- Stenosis. A portion of your gastric sleeve may close, resulting in a stomach obstruction.
- Deficiencies in vitamins. The region of your stomach that was removed is largely responsible for your body’s absorption of vitamins. This can result in vitamin deficits unless you take vitamin supplements.
- GERD (heartburn). Heartburn can be caused or exacerbated by reshaping your stomach. This is usually treatable with over-the-counter medicines.
It is critical to remember that modifying your food and exercise habits is critical to losing weight following gastric sleeve surgery. It is possible to regain lost weight if you:
- eat too much
- eat unhealthy foods
- exercise not enough
Other concerns
Another typical issue, particularly when losing weight quickly, is the enormous amount of excess skin that may remain as the pounds fall away. This is a common complication of gastric sleeve surgery.
If the excess skin concerns you, it can be surgically removed. However, keep in mind that your body may take up to 18 months to stabilize after gastric sleeve surgery. That is why it is usually advisable to postpone skin removal procedures. Until then, you might wish to experiment with various techniques for tightening loose skin.
Another factor to consider before choosing gastric sleeve surgery is that, unlike some other bariatric procedures, it is irreversible. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome, your stomach cannot be changed back.
