Gastric sleeve resection is a weight loss surgery that removes two-thirds of the stomach, limiting food intake and reducing hunger. It has low risk but requires strict dietary restrictions and exercise. Overeating can stretch the stomach sleeve, reducing effectiveness. It may be a first step towards gastric bypass.
Gastric sleeve resection can be the first step toward gastric bypass or weight loss surgery on its own. It is often used on people who are severely obese and whose bodies may not be able to handle the enormous stressors of complete gastric bypass surgery. It has a low risk factor, with about 3-5% of patients experiencing side effects from the surgery, but it may not be fully effective in the long run, and patients who undergo it can do it to lose weight in preparation for gastric bypass when their bodies are at their healthiest.
The method of performing gastric sleeve resection can sometimes be called stomach stapling. Essentially two-thirds of the stomach is removed, leaving the stomach in the form of a tube or cuff. This significantly limits the amount of food and can reduce the desire for physical hunger. Overeating, especially shortly after gastric sleeve resection, often causes vomiting.
This surgery is performed in a hospital setting and usually requires a hospital stay of several days afterward. It’s extremely important to follow the directions in your diet once you can eat most normal foods again. First, you need to limit your intake, which is normally helped by eating five to six small meals a day. The meals are very small; a loaf of bread could be considered breakfast.
Food also needs to be chewed very carefully, because the stomach tends to lack the acid to break down larger pieces of food. In the first few days after gastric sleeve resection, most of the food should be eaten mashed. The rest of the stomach “sleeve” is very sensitive to high acid, very sweet and/or carbonated drinks. You should also not use most anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or aspirin as these can at least irritate the stomach and/or cause stomach bleeding.
Some people are under the mistaken impression that any type of surgery to correct obesity will simply take care of the problem without any effort on their part. This is absolutely not true for gastric sleeve resection. Dietary restrictions must be imposed, and people who have had the surgery are usually counseled on what they should eat and should avoid. Also, as a person recovers from gastric sleeve resection and begins to lose excess weight, exercise can help speed up this process and is encouraged. Extensive follow-up of patients after the procedure is necessary to make sure that the person is still doing well after the surgery and that they are following all medical advice.
Overeating, when it doesn’t cause vomiting, can make gastric sleeve resection less effective over time. The stomach sleeve can stretch, creating a larger stomach pouch for food, which may not effectively control hunger or limit food intake. Doctors estimate that most people lose about 40-60% of excess weight with this surgery in about a year, but this may depend on strict adherence to dietary recommendations. Cuff lengthening may require subsequent complete gastric bypass to completely shed the remaining excess weight.
Although gastric sleeve resection surgery carries much less risk than complete gastric bypass, it still has risks that need to be weighed. It is also only partially effective if a person is committed to changing their eating and exercise habits. Those who commit to these changes can lose as much weight as needed, and by continuing good diet and exercise patterns, can continue to maintain this weight.
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