More About Sleeve Gastrectomy, Commonly Called Stomach Stapling?
Of the many types of Bariatric Surgeries, Sleeve Gastrectomy is one type that is a restrictive method. A restrictive method is one that works on the principle of shrinking the size of the stomach to restrict the intake quantity of food.
Sleeve Gastrectomy is also called Gastric Sleeve. 3/4th of the stomach is cut vertically along its natural curvature. The surgery is done using advanced laparoscopic techniques and the surgery once done, cannot be reversed. This means the stomach is cut and stapled and cannot be restored to its original size anymore. This laparoscopic surgery results in the stomach being permanently reduced in size.
The upper part of the stomach which is called Fundus, is removed. This area of the stomach gives an indication to the brain that enough food has been taken. Since this area is no more present, there is early satiety (feeling full) and no negative signal is given to the brain.
Since the capacity of the food consumed is greatly reduced and the part that indicated the fullness is also removed, there is a drastic reduction in food consumption and this eventually leads to weight loss.
The surgery takes around 1 to 2 hours for a bariatric surgeon to perform. You may have to stay in the hospital for an average of 2 to 3 days and you can resume your normal routine with a week’s time. Once you get the surgery done, you have to stick to the diet plan as handed over the by the nutritionist in close consultation with your bariatric surgeon.
Important Data on Gastric Sleeve
By 5 years, the average weight loss is close to 55-60%. The surgery has around 10% complication rate and the mortality rate is around 0.19%. (Courtesy – WebMd)
