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Gastric sleeve surgery is also sometimes referred to as weight loss surgery or bariatric surgery. It involves removing or reducing the size of your stomach, typically leading to rapid weight loss. In this article, we’ll look at the effectiveness and consequences of gastric sleeve surgery.
What happens during surgery?
During gastric sleeve surgery, you are put to sleep using a general anaesthetic. The surgery is usually done laparoscopically as ‘keyhole surgery’. There are two options with gastric sleeve surgery – a total gastrectomy, which means your entire stomach is removed, leaving only a ‘sleeve’ or a partial gastrectomy, where just the lower portion of the stomach is removed. In either case, the procedure removes the part of your stomach that controls your appetite. The remaining portion of your stomach is then stapled or sutured together to create the gastric sleeve.
The surgery itself is relatively quick, taking around an hour or so in the operating theatre. You’ll then be moved to a recovery room to be brought round from the anaesthetic. If your surgery is straightforward and you don’t have any complications or delays during your recovery, you’ll usually be allowed home 2-3 days later and will be able to return to your everyday activities around 4-6 weeks following your surgery.
Is the surgery effective?
Following gastric sleeve surgery, your stomach is significantly smaller. This means that you’re able to eat less, feel full quicker and stop eating sooner. The surgery also prevents the release of a hormone (ghrelin) that makes you hungry, so your appetite will be reduced too.
Most people can expect to lose up to 50% of their excess weight within a year and some research studies have shown excess weight loss of 60-70% within two years of gastric sleeve surgery.
Benefits of this weight loss include a reduction in the risk of obesity-related conditions, such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
What are the risks and complications?
As with any type of surgery, gastric sleeve surgery comes with risks. These include:
- Risks from the surgical procedure itself, including reactions to the anaesthesia, blood loss, blood clots, and the risk of developing an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation.
- Risks during recovery, such as wound infection, pneumonia (as a result of taking shallow breaths due to being in pain) and a leak in the gut that can cause serious infection.
- Longer-term risks, such as a blocked gut, malnutrition, excess skin and gallstones.
How will your diet change after surgery?
As well as significant weight loss, one of the other major changes after weight loss surgery is the change to your diet. For the first few days, you will probably only be able to have fluids. You’ll then be able to move on to runny food like yoghurt, soup and puréed food. After a few weeks, you will be able to manage soft, mashed food and six weeks after your surgery, you can start gradually returning to a normal, healthy diet.
Undergoing gastric sleeve surgery means eating less and eating healthier for the rest of your life. Your surgeon will usually set out recommendations for you prior to the surgery and these will be aimed at giving you the best possible results from your surgery to help you achieve and maintain weight loss with your gastric sleeve.