Gastric Sleeve

Gastric sleeve abroad: All you need to know

Have you tried diets and exercises? They didn’t work for you? Workouts and Diets don’t work for everybody; also, diet is hard to stick to. If you have tried for two years and didn’t achieve any long-term results, you may consider bariatric surgeries like sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass. The gastric sleeve or vertical sleeve gastrectomy in Iran is the most common and popular bariatric surgery, in the US, and worldwide.

What is the gastric sleeve?

Gastric sleeve surgery is bariatric surgery in order to reduce the size of the stomach so the patient cannot eat the same amount of food as before.

In a stomach sleeve operation, the surgeon removes at least 75% of the stomach and connects the remaining parts of the stomach to make a new sleeve (banana-sized stomach). The stomach will become about one-fourth to one-tenth of the original one, so you’ll feel full sooner while eating, which helps you lose weight.

Nowadays, surgeons perform laparoscopic gastric sleeve by removing some parts of the stomach. Bariatric surgery results in less food capacity by decreasing the stomach size, and the stomach will shape like a sleeve. Gastric sleeve surgery as the most popular bariatric surgery helps obese people get rid of a significant amount of weight by restricting food intake.

The gastric sleeve surgery surgical is advised to:

• People whose BMI is more than 40
• People whose BMI is more than 35 and have obesity-related problems like diabetes.

What is a gastric sleeve surgery procedure?

The gastric sleeve procedure step by step is like this:

• Making a few small cuts through the belly
• Inserting a laparoscopic instrument to observe
• Inserting medical devices to remove ¾ of the stomach
• Connecting and re-attaching the rest of the stomach and forming a sleeve

A sleeve gastrectomy procedure takes one to two hours, and the surgeon hospitalizes the patient at least for 2-3 days after the surgery.

Is gastric sleeve right for me?

A patient qualifies for a gastric sleeve surgery if he/she has tried non-surgical methods of weight loss like diet and exercise for at least two years, then the patient is an excellent gastric sleeve candidate if:

• 18 to 65 years old and determined to lose weight.
• BMI (body mass index) is above 40.
• BMI is above 35, and obesity-related problems like diabetes, sleep disorder, etc.

But gastric sleeve surgery isn’t for everyone who is overweight. The patient must be screened by a qualified bariatric surgeon and be determined to commit to a healthier lifestyle and medical follow-up. After evaluating these criteria, the best bariatric doctor may advise a sleeve gastrectomy surgery for the patient.

Eight gastric sleeve benefits

Sleeve gastrectomy surgery has some benefits for obese people:

• No diabetes signs in more than 60% of patients
• Cardiovascular health improvements
• Joint pains relief
• More than 50% of extra weight loss
• Sleep arena problem improvements
• No need for the implantation of a balloon or band
• It is a proven low-risk weight loss surgery
• Depression relief

What are gastric sleeve surgery risks & side effects?

The risk of death associated with gastric sleeve surgery is less than half a percent (0.5%). All operations carry some risks and side effects; gastric sleeve surgery is not an exception; the surgeon will explain them to you before the surgery. We have categorized these risks into two categories:

Abdominal surgeries risks

like any other abdominal surgery, sleeve gastrectomy carries potential risks like:

• Bleeding and infection
• Problems like blood clots in the heart and lungs
• Obstruction of stomach
• Hernia through the incision and inside the abdomen
• Reaction to and rejection of suture material
• Anesthesia-related risks like other surgeries

Additional bariatric surgery complications and risks

There are some additional side effects associated with weight loss surgeries, including some short-term and long-term risks including:

• Acid reflux
• Inability to eat certain foods
• Vomiting
• Low blood sugar
• Ulcers
• Bowel obstruction
• Hernias
• Dilation of esophagus
• Weight gain or failure to lose weight
• Malnutrition
• Nausea and dizziness (because of dumping syndrome)

What are gastric sleeve disadvantages?

The main disadvantages associated with gastric sleeve surgery are:

• Parts of the stomach are removed, and it is irreversible
• Long-term nutrient deficiencies risk
• Discomfort from eating carbs-rich foods
• Leak potentials (Stomach stapling is involved)
• Vitamin and minerals absorption are reduced (which could lead to other health problems)

Gastric sleeve or gastric bypass, which one is better?

The bariatric doctor will advise you which weight loss surgery is better for you; it depends on some factors like medical history, medical conditions, medications, and diet. But the main factors are:

• Both can achieve long-term results; in 12 to 18 months after the surgery, gastric sleeve patients lose 60 to 70% of their excess weight on average. In contrast, gastric bypass patients lose 60 to 80% of their excess.
• In both operation methods, it takes to four weeks to recover and get back to your normal healthy life.
• Gastric bypass surgery is generally recommended for very obese patients (BMI over 45)
• In both operations, the patient must follow a strict post-surgery diet
• Gastric bypass can be reversed in case of complications, while the gastric sleeve is irreversible
• Procedure: in gastric sleeve, the surgeon removes a part of the stomach while in gastric bypass excellent bariatric doctor attaches a small pouch to the intestine to bypass the stomach
• Risk of dumping syndrome is much lower in sleeve gastrectomy versus gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y)
• Gastric sleeve is more straightforward with fewer complications
• Both can improve obesity-related conditions like Diabetes, High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Sleep apnea

How do I get ready for gastric sleeve surgery?

• Research all you can about your surgery
• Know your surgeon and make sure he/she is an excellent one
• If you are a medical tourist, choose an excellent medical facilitator to take care of you
• Give all your medical records to your surgeon, even small things matter
• Your surgeon will ask you to stop some medications you use now
• Keep contact with your surgeon or their assistant
• Avoid smoking for at least one month before surgery
• Do not drink alcohol one week before surgery
• Get diet instructions from your surgeon
• Do not eat or drink anything at least 12 hours before the surgery
• Get a phycological evaluation before your bariatric surgery
• Try to change your exercise routine before the surgery (daily 30-min light workout)
• Prepare a light package of necessities like cloths for 2 to 4 days of hospitalization
• Get your groceries ready for your return home

Gastric sleeve recovery and after care

Today, gastric sleeve surgery is laparoscopic instead of open surgery, which means the surgeon makes just some small cuts in your belly, which makes the healing and recovery faster than older methods of abdominal surgery.

• You have to rest 2-3 days in the hospital
• Avoid smoking for at least one month after surgery
• You can go back to your normal life in a month or so
• You will have medical checkups to monitor your health frequently till your surgeon thinks everything is normal)
• Your body will react to rapid weight loss in the first six months like body aches, tiredness, coldness, dry skin, hair loss, and mood changes

How is my diet after gastric sleeve?

Your diet after sleeve gastrectomy is:

• First week: sugar-free, noncarbonated clear drinks
• Next three weeks: Pureed foods and protein shakes
• After four weeks: regular foods
• Take prescribed multivitamins twice a day and calcium supplement once a day
• Vitamin B-12 injection once a month

These are some vital recommendation about your eating habits in the first month after your surgery:

• Eat solid foods very slowly
• Chew everything before swallowing
• While eating, do not drink
• Drink 30 minutes after finishing your food
• Do not consume high-calorie snacks and sodas
• Take prescribed supplements every day
• In the next three months, you can get back to normal slowly, but you will fill fuller very sooner than before.