Sleeve Gastrectomy

What is Sleeve Gastrectomy?

Sleeve Gastrectomy is an irreversible weight loss surgery performed laparoscopically, hence it is also known as Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG). This procedure curtails the size of the stomach to almost 1/3rd of its capacity. The new banana shaped stomach is much smaller than the original size of stomach, thus you feel full sooner. Often in high risk patients, sleeve gastrectomy is performed as a staging procedure prior to a gastric bypass or duodenal switch.

Why is it done?

Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery will be recommended as weight loss surgery:

• If your BMI is more than 60, sleeve gastrectomy is performed as an initial surgery to help you lose enough weight so that you can undergo more extensive type of bariatric surgery like a gastric bypass or duodenal switch with biliopancreatic diversion.
• If your BMI is about 40 to 50, you will be recommended for a sleeve gastrectomy as the primary weight-loss surgery.
• If you are older or have any risk factors for surgery like cardiac, lung, or liver problems, sleeve gastrectomy will be a better choice for you.

What happens during the procedure?

Most Sleeve Gastrectomies are performed laparoscopically under general anaesthesia. During the procedure, 5 or 6 small incisions is made in the abdomen. The procedure is performed using a video camera (laparoscope) and long instruments that are inserted through these small incisions.

With the use of endoscopic staplers, approximately 2/3rd of the left side of your stomach is laparoscopically removed. Thus, the stomach looks like a sleeve or a hockey stick. The surgery can be performed as either as a single stage procedure or first stage of a two-stage procedure for a super obese patient (BMI greater than 60) followed with malabsorptive surgery.

Unlike other types of bariatric surgery, the outlet valve and the nerves of the stomach remains intact while the stomach size is reduced drastically.

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