Sleeve gastrectomy in the medical language, is also known as stomach reduction surgery. This method is one of the most commonly used methods in bariatric surgery. The brief definition of this procedure is to turn the stomach into a tube after the surgical procedure. With this tube or tube shape, it is aimed to work in the same way as other organs in the digestive system (esophagus and intestines) and to take the food coming from the esophagus towards the intestine. Therefore, for sleeve gastrectomy surgery, a large part of the stomach is cut by surgical operation. And the surgery makes your stomach like a tube as like the way surgery name suggest.

Who Can Have Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery?

In order to have sleeve gastrectomy surgery, it is necessary to meet the criteria set by the World Health Organization. This can be possible by meeting the body mass index values. Those with a body mass index (BMI) over 40 or over 30 with additional health problems are considered suitable for this surgery.

Is There an Age Limit to Have Tube Stomach Surgery?

This surgery, which is applied to people between the ages of 18-65, can also be applied to children aged 13 and over and the elderly aged 65 and over due to different reasons.

Who Can Not Have Tube Stomach Surgery?

Alcohol addicts,
Those whose general health condition is not suitable for anesthesia,
Those with psychological problems,
Those diagnosed with an eating disorder,
Those who do not have the required body mass index,
Those who do not feel ready to change their eating habits after the operation; they are not considered suitable for this surgery.

The Effect of Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Gastric sleeve surgery is not just about reducing the stomach. Due to the structure of the stomach, only the reduction of the stomach will have a temporary effect. However, with this surgery, the hunger hormone secreted from the stomach will also be seriously reduced. As the feeling of hunger decreases, insulin resistance will also be broken. Since the feeling of hunger is reduced in this way, the effect of this surgery will be much better. In addition, the small incision scars left after the surgery will become completely invisible in a few months.

Can Weight Gain Again After Surgery?

As we mentioned surgery is rather efficient. The rate of weight gain after this surgery is around 15%. There is a possibility of regaining weight in every known surgery. After sleeve gastrectomy surgery, the rate of regaining weight is also very low, with a probability of 5-15%.

We can list the important factors that affect regaining weight after surgery as follows:

A poor surgical practice will reduce the effect of the surgery.
If you do not change your lifestyle after the surgery, it will allow you to return to your old weight.
Having sugary foods after alcohol in men and heavy traumas in women will also cause to regaining weight again.

Differences Between Sleeve Gastrectomy and Gastric Bypass

The main difference between the two procedures is that sleeve gastrectomy surgery does not change the functioning of the digestive system. Both surgeries are related to the reduction of stomach volume. İn sleeve gastrectomy surgery, the cut from the stomach will removed from body, while in gastric bypass, a piece of the cut is attached to the middle of the intestine.
In this way, the foods consumed after gastric bypass cannot pass through the duodenum.
In terms of weight loss, both surgeries give successful results. Patients with gastric reflux problems achieve more positive results with gastric bypass.

How Long Does Tube Stomach Surgery Take?

The duration of the operation can vary from 30 to 90 minutes, with an average of 1 hour. The patient’s condition and the surgeon are the main factors in changing this period. In this surgery, the issue that should be considered before the time is how the surgery took place.

How is Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery Performed?

Gastric sleeve surgery is performed with the closed surgery technique which is also called as laparascopic method. Operation is performed under general anesthesia, large incisions are not made. Instead, a few holes smaller than 1 cm are opened, allowing the camera and treatment tools to enter the abdomen. With this technique, the surgery is performed more reliably and the patient is provided with a more painless recovery process after the surgery. In the operation, 80% of the stomach is removed with the help of stapler. The most important process of the surgery is to control the bleeding at the suture line. In the stomach stitches are checked and the tube is removed in the first stage of the surgery. Then the drainage system is placed.

What are the Advantages of Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery?

The advantages of Sleeve Gastrectomy can be expressed in 2 different ways.

1-) Advantages Comparing with not having Surgery

No drug, sport or diet method will give such positive results in the treatment of obesity. Sleeve gastrectomy and other surgical operations are always more effecient than the other methods.

2-) Advantages of Gastric Sleeve Surgery Compared to Other Surgical Methods

Gastric sleeve surgery does not disrupt the normal course of food passage during feeding. In this way, it is a more suitable surgical method for the functioning of the digestive system. Technically, it is an easier and shorter operation. With the short duration of anesthesia, the complications that may be related to anesthesia are less.
Gastric sleeve is the most widely used bariatric surgery technique in the world.

How is the Healing Process?

Since the closed surgery technique is used, a very fast recovery process is experienced. After resting in the hospital for the first 3 days, the patient is discharged. Patient can handle simple daily tasks just 1 week after the operation. The ideal time for the patient to return to his normal life is 1 month. It is expected that the patient, whose controls are made in certain periods, amount of weight lose is around 20 kilos in the first month.

At the end of 1 year, s/he can lose 70 to 80% of her pre-operative weight.

Post-Surgery Process

Under this title, we will answer the questions and the process after sleeve gastrectomy surgery.

“When can I get pregnant after surgery?”

Pregnancy is not recommended before 12-18 months in order to keep up with the change in your lifestyle after sleeve gastrectomy and to be ready for your child.

“When can I have surgery for post-operative sagging?”

Since you will have to wait to losing weight to reach your ideal weight you can have sagging surgery after 1 or 1.5 years later.

“When can I start sports after surgery?”

You should not start exercising without your doctor’s approval. You can let your doctor know in which branches you will do. After 3 months, you can start slowly. Walking at the time and pace recommended by your doctor and exercise consultant will be beneficial.
After 6 weeks, you can start swimming and fitness sports with the approval of your doctor, but you should be careful to avoid abdominal movements and lifting weights.

“How should I eat after surgery?”

Although there are different answers for each patient, the most important ingredient in your diet will be protein. Consuming at least 6-8 glasses of decaffeinated, calorie-free and non-carbonated beverages a day and not drinking anything half an hour before meals will help you prevent nausea. When you start to eating solid foods 1 month after the surgery, you should stay away from foods which are containing carbohydrates such as bread, pasta and rice.

What are the Complications, Risks and Precautions?

Complications encountered in most bariatric surgeries can also be seen in sleeve gastrectomy surgery. The 3 most common complications are; bleeding and partial separation of the suture line, leakage of gastric fluid or ingested liquid-solid foods into the abdominal cavity, that is, leakage and clot. This clot is also called an embolus. The probability of leakage in sleeve gastrectomy surgery is 1%, but this leak should be managed by an experienced bariatric surgeon. Otherwise, the consequences can be very severe. Post-leak treatment can be achieved by placing a catheter with USG and placing a barytric-stent with endoscopy.

We can explain some of the precautions taken for some complications as follows:

Pulmonary embolism can develop after surgery. For this reason, patients are given blood thinners 12 hours before the surgery or blood thinners are given 6 hours after the surgery. High pressure knee compression stockings are worn. In order to prevent pulmonary embolism, the patient is started to walk 2 to 3 hours after sleeve gastrectomy surgery. Another pulmonary complication is deflating of part of the lung. In order to prevent this situation, also known as atelectasis, the patient is given chest exercises with the Triflu blowing exercise device in the early period after sleeve gastrectomy surgery.
The most important surgical complication that can develop in the long term after sleeve gastrectomy is the development of stenosis in the stomach. It is usually treated with the endoscopic method of widening these strictures. Occasionally, more than one endoscopic intervention may be required.
Another complication is dumping syndrome. Dumping syndrome, a difficult-to-treat complication, is usually recognized by the symptom of reactive low blood sugar that occurs after meals.
Another complication that is less common than gastric bypass is deficiency of B vitamins, iron, folic acid and vitamin D. In order to detect the deficiency of these values and take precautions, it is necessary to go to the obesity surgeon for a check-up at certain intervals and to get support from a bariatric dietitian.

Wound infection may also develop on the skin after sleeve gastrectomy surgery. Most of these complications have effective precautionary measures and treatments that can be applied if they occur. For this reason, it is the most important choice to perform this surgery with a good surgeon in a good hospital.

For more information about the surgery or to make an appointment, you can contact us via our contact numbers or the form on the home page.

All About Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery