What is a Gastric Sleeve?

A Sleeve Gastrectomy involves decreasing the size of your stomach to a thin short tube. It works by making you feel full quicker so that you eat smaller amounts. The greatest impact arises from the effect surgery has on gut hormones that regulate hunger, satiety, and blood sugar control.

 

How effective is the Gastric Sleeve?

Short-term studies show that the sleeve is as effective as the roux-en-Y gastric bypass in terms of weight loss and improvement or remission of diabetes. There is also evidence that suggest the sleeve, like the gastric bypass, is effective in improving type 2 diabetes independent of weight loss. The complication rates of a primary sleeve are also quite low, with a roughly 1% risk of developing a staple line leak or bleeding, two feared complications.

 

Is a Sleeve Gastrectomy suitable for me?

If your BMI score is over 35 and you have other medical problems such as Type-2 diabetes, or high blood pressure, weight loss surgery may help you achieve your long-term weight loss goals. If your BMI score is greater than 40, you may be suitable for weight loss surgery.

 

What does the operation involve?

The Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy is performed by removing approximately 75% of the stomach. The remaining stomach is a tubular pouch that resembles a banana.

This procedure works by several mechanisms. First, the new stomach pouch holds a considerably smaller volume than the normal stomach and helps to significantly reduce the amount of food that can be consumed. The greater impact arises from the effect surgery has on gut hormones that regulate hunger, satiety, and blood sugar control.

 

How soon will I recover?

You should be able to go home after 1-2 days in hospital. You will be able to drink only liquids for a few weeks, moving to soft food and then to solid food. You should be able to return to work after 2-4 weeks, depending on how much surgery you need and your type of work. Early light exercise is encouraged to help you return to normal activities as soon as possible.

 

Gastric Sleeve Sydney – benefits

— Produces significant long-term weight loss 50 to 70% excess weight loss.
— Restricts the amount of food the stomach can hold.
— Induces rapid and significant weight loss like Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Weight loss of >50% EWL for 3-5+ years.
— Requires no foreign objects and no bypass or rerouting of the food stream.
— Short hospital stay of approximately 1-2 days.
— Causes favourable changes in gut hormones that suppress hunger, reduce appetite, and improve satiety.
— The sleeve gastrectomy is now the most commonly performed bariatric procedure worldwide. The procedure has been studied extensively, for both short and long-term results and safety.

 

Understanding Robotic Surgery

Robotic surgery is a rapidly evolving field. Bariatric surgery can be performed with robotic technology and Dr. Magdy completed his fellowship in robotic bariatric surgery overseas. Robotic technology has significant advantages however at present incurs higher costs. If you wish to have your bariatric procedure performed robotically, please discuss this with Dr. Magdy.

 

How is a Gastric Sleeve different to Gastric Bypass surgery?

Gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery are two of the most popular weight loss surgery procedures in Sydney and around the world. For that reason, they are often (incorrectly) used interchangeably to describe two very different weight loss procedures.

Gastric sleeve surgery is a surgical procedure that removes part of the stomach and effectively reduces the size of the stomach to approximately 15-20% of its original size. The procedure creates a narrow, tube-like stomach shape that effectively limits the amount of food that can be eaten at one time and helps patients to feel “full” faster, for longer.

On the other hand, gastric bypass surgery is a more complex procedure that reroutes the small intestine and allows food to bypass a portion of the stomach and small intestine. Gastric bypass surgery is a significant procedure and one that can lead to drastic weight loss and an overall improvement in obesity related conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

 

What complication can happen?

— Is a non-reversible procedure.
— Has the potential for long-term vitamin deficiencies.
— Reflux and weight regain are two major concerns that may arise following sleeve gastrectomy.
— Risks of a leak from the staple line and stenosis, both likely to require additional procedures.
— The sleeve can migrate into the chest.

 

Am I more suited to a Gastric Bypass or Gastric Sleeve?

When it comes to weight loss procedures, there are no hard and fast rules. Choosing between the two will come down to your current weight, weight loss goals, and a myriad of other health and lifestyle factors.

Dr. Mark Magdy works closely with patients to determine the most appropriate weight loss surgery so that patients can make an informed decision.

 

Are there any foods that need to be avoided after surgery?

In the early stages of your recovery, you will need to stick to a strict diet of liquid or pureed foods so that your stomach can recover and adjust. For most patients, this means a struct diet of protein shakes, broths, soup, and other soft foods.

As you move through your recovery, solid foods will be slowly reintroduced into your diet. You should avoid unhealthy food that is high in sugar and fat and begin making the requisite lifestyle changes to ensure the best chance of dramatic weight loss. In the long-term, it is recommended that patients avoid eating large meals, cut down on alcohol, and follow the dietary and nutritional guidelines set forth by Dr. Mark Magdy.

 

How long does a Gastric Sleeve last?

Gastric sleeve surgery is a highly effective weight loss procedure that can dramatically improve the quality-of-life experience by patients. Like many weight loss procedures, a sleeve gastrectomy should be viewed as the beginning of a new, healthy lifestyle which includes regular exercise and a balanced diet.

Long-term weight loss and stabilisation will ultimately be determined by the lifestyle changes that come into effect in the weeks, months, and years following the procedure. A sleeve gastrectomy should not be viewed as a silver-bullet type procedure, instead, it should be viewed as the starting point for lifelong changes to lifestyle and diet.

 

Will the procedure change my appetite?

Yes, patients typically eat much less after the procedure. Because the surgery removes a portion of the stomach, patients should expect to feel “full” faster and with a lower quantity of food than before surgery.