Performed by our board-certified bariatric surgeons, sleeve gastrectomy surgery begins with the removal of roughly 85 percent of the stomach, with the remainder being sewn into a sleeve-like shape.
Shorter hospital stays, faster recovery — The majority of sleeve gastrectomy procedures are performed using a laparoscopic technique. Because of this, gastric sleeve recovery ensures a shorter hospital stay, smaller scars, and less pain than open surgical procedures.
Cost savings over time — Achieving your weight loss goals can have significant, positive effects on your overall health. Weight loss surgery, like the gastric sleeve, may help to improve or resolve conditions associated with obesity, such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, so patients save money on related prescription drugs, doctor visits, and hospital visits.
A reduction in cravings for sweets — In a clinical study, 50% of patients who had a sleeve gastrectomy procedure lost their cravings for sweets after 1 year, and after 3 years 23% still experienced a loss of cravings for sweets. In addition, the level of a hormone called ghrelin, which has been described as a hunger-regulating hormone, was found to be significantly reduced after sleeve gastrectomy surgery.
Unlike gastric bypass, the gastric sleeve surgery is done with 5 small incisions and takes about an hour to do. Because of this minimally invasive procedure, this type of surgery has a lower severe complication rate preoperatively (less than 1 percent) and lower mean short-term mortality rate (0.05 percent, approximately 1/10 the mortality rate of gastric bypass).
The gastric sleeve surgery also carries fewer risks of vitamin and mineral deficiencies than gastric bypass. This operation is performed laparoscopically and is shown to be a safer procedure mainly due to the fact that the natural anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract is not changed.
In clinical studies of severely obese patients, the gastric sleeve surgery has been shown to be a highly effective surgical method for weight loss, improving co-morbid conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and hypertension and reducing the use of medication to treat those conditions. Benefits also include 46 to 83 percent excess weight loss just one year after surgery.
The possibility of obstruction and ulceration dumping are close to zero. Unlike the Lap-Band®, there is no implantable component in this operation and no need for adjustment. Also unlike the Lap-Band® this operation is not reversible.
The gastric sleeve surgery is covered by most health plans including PPO Insurances.
