Just How Does The Gastric Sleeve Form Of Weight Loss Surgery Work?

By Author: Donald Saunders
Total Articles: 84
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With obesity continuing to increase in many Western countries bariatric surgery has become an everyday type of surgery in a large number of medical facilities.

The vertical sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive method of weight loss surgery in which about 85% of the stomach is removed leaving a sleeve shaped stomach with a vastly reduced capacity ranging from about 60 to 150 cc. As distinct from many other types of weight loss surgery, the outlet valve and the nerves to the stomach are left intact and, while the stomach is considerably reduced in size, its function is preserved. once again, unlike other types of bariatric surgery like the classical Roux-en-Y gastric bypass the vertical sleeve gastrectomy cannot be reversed.

Because the newly fashioned stomach continues to function as normal there are fewer restrictions on the foods which patients can eat after surgery, although the quantity of food eaten will be very much reduced. A lot of patients see this as one of the main advantages of the vertical sleeve gastrectomy, as well as the fact that the removal of the majority of the stomach also results in the virtual ...
... elimination of the hormones which are produced within the stomach and which stimulate hunger.

Perhaps the main advantage of the vertical gastrectomy lies in the fact that it does not involve any bypass of the intestinal tract and patients do not thus encounter the complications of bypass such as vitamin deficiency, anemia, osteoporosis and protein deficiency. It also makes it an appropriate type of surgery for patients who already suffer from Crohn's disease, anemia and a variety of other conditions which would put them at high risk for surgery involving intestinal bypass.

Finally, it is one of the few types of bariatric which can be performed laparoscopically in individuals who are extremely overweight.

Possibly the principal disadvantage of the vertical sleeve gastrectomy is to be found in the fact that it does not always result in the loss in weight which patients would like and may produce weight regain in the longer term. This is indeed true of any type of solely restrictive weight loss surgery but it is perhaps particularly true in the case of the vertical gastrectomy.

Because the operation requires stapling of the stomach individuals do run the risk from leakage and other complications which are specifically related to stapling. Additionally, as is the case with any surgery, individuals are at risk from complications such as post-surgical bleeding, small bowel obstruction, pneumonia and even death. The chances of encountering these complications is nonetheless extremely small and is in the region of about 0.5 and 1%. Having said this, the risk of death as a result of this type of surgery at about 0 .25% is extremely small.

Generally speaking the vertical sleeve gastrectomy is most suitable for people who are either extremely overweight or whose health would rule out other types of bariatric surgery. In the case of the former the vertical sleeve gastrectomy would usually form the first of a two-part weight loss plan, with further surgery being carried out once the patient's weight has dropped enough to permit other types of surgery to be done.