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Gastric Sleeve Surgery Offering Hope for Obese People

December 5, 2009 by  
Filed under Lose Weight

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A relatively new bariatric procedure performed for weight loss is the gastric sleeve surgery, also known as vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), gastric sleeve resection or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.The procedure involves removing a large portion of the stomach using stapling devices while leaving the small intestine and both ends of the stomach intact. It has proven to be beneficial for super obese people struggling with weight issues for a long time.

The gastric sleeve surgery promotes weight loss by reducing the stomach’s size permanently and thereby restricting the consumption of food. The surgery is the first part of a two stage procedure where the surgeon removes three-quarters of the stomach along the outside curve of the stomach. The new belly takes the shape of a narrow tube which runs along from the esophagus to the small intestine. The reason why the surgery is done in 2 parts is to make it safer for obese patients with a BMI of over 60.

The first gastric sleeve surgery took place in 2002 in England and has since been gaining worldwide attention as an effective and safe bariatric procedure. During gastric sleeve surgery, the surgeon removes about 60-80% of the stomach leaving a small tube for the new stomach sack .The hunger hormone GHRELIN that creates hunger in people, slows metabolism and decreases the body’s ability to burn fat is removed during the surgery. When the hunger inducing hormone is removed, the appetite is curbed and therefore the patient feels less hungry.

Benefits of gastric sleeve surgery It is a less complicated procedure than gastric bypass as it does not require any reconnecting or rerouting of the small intestine. Gastric sleeve surgery does not need the implantation of any foreign or artificial device inside the body to facilitate weight loss. Patients lose about 40-60 % of their weight with 1 year of the surgery. It is entirely safe for patients with a BMI of over 60.Also patients having pre-existing medical conditions can safely undergo the surgery. There is no dumping syndrome associated with t he surgery. Normal food can be consumed few weeks after the surgery. Nutritional supplements are usually not required after the surgery.

Disadvantages of gastric sleeve surgery include: The surgery is non reversible as a part of the stomach is removed permanently. Procedure is not covered by insurance. In the long run, the new stomach sack may stretch. There is not enough data to support long term results.

The surgery takes about 2-3 hours and is performed under general anesthesia. Recovery time may last a few weeks and pain medication may be prescribed for discomfort. The abdomen remains swollen and sore for few weeks and some scarring may be visible. You will need to stay on liquid diet for 2 weeks and thereafter 2 weeks of semi solid pureed food.

Usually after the surgery, an overall many patients notice an improvement in their medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and blood pressure. Of course, weight loss is on ongoing process and the gastric sleeve surgery is only a step towards promoting weight loss and it is in the hands of the patient to maintain a healthy lifestyle thereafter.

Learn more about theGastric Sleeve Surgery. Stop by Jessica Sharpe’s site where you can find out all about Gastric Sleeve Surgery and what it can do for you.

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Tags: Gastric sleeve surgery, Lose Weight