Gastric sleeve surgery

Gastric sleeve surgery

Gastric sleeve surgery is recommended for body mass index (BMI) over 35.

The primary goal of the intervention is not aesthetic: in addition to the weight loss following the surgery, the condition of many diseases related to excess weight also improves and in many cases is cured. Examples include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, infertility or joint wear and tear. Losing weight significantly reduces the likelihood of developing many types of tumors, and self-esteem and self-confidence also improve. Overall, patients who undergo surgery live longer and healthier lives.

The essence of gastric bypass surgery is to remove a significant part of the stomach through one 2.5 cm, one 1.5 cm and two 5 mm incisions in the abdominal wall with instruments inserted into the abdominal cavity. Only a narrow, approx. 2-3 cm in diameter, approx. A "tube" with a capacity of 150 ml remains, so the patient can only eat a small amount of food. The food you eat causes you to feel full sooner and for a longer time. The patient also feels less hungry, because the cells that produce the "hunger hormone" (ghrelin) are also removed with the removed part of the stomach.

During the 18-24 months following the intervention, patients usually lose 70-80% of their excess weight, but success requires lifestyle changes in addition to surgery.

Thanks to the modern, laparoscopic surgical procedure, the hospital stay is short: patients can usually go home on the morning of the second day after the operation, and if they do not do physical work, they can return to work after 5 days.

In the USA, Canada and Asia, gastric bypass surgery is the most commonly used surgical solution to treat excess weight, and the number of procedures performed is increasing rapidly in the rest of the world as well. The reason for its popularity is that its effectiveness is similar to bypassing the stomach (gastric bypass), the complications are significantly lower, such as suture failure or internal hernia, as well as the risk of hair loss, osteoporosis, iron deficiency, anemia, and vitamin deficiency later on.