What is sleeve gastrectomy?
Sleeve gastrectomy surgery is performed under general anesthesia to reduce patient weight significantly. It removes a large part of the stomach, leaving a small part that barely allows the patient to eat a small amount of food, so he feels full sooner.
Gastric sleeve surgery is not just limited to weight loss, but it helps the patient avoid several diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, blood pressure, and heart diseases.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
You are the right candidate for sleeve gastrectomy:
If you have good public health and don't suffer from any disease that may carry a risk of complications.
If your body mass index (BMI) is equal to 40 or more.
If your BMI is within (35-40) and your obesity-related condition may get improved.
If you change your lifestyle by following a balanced diet and exercise, but could not lose significant weight.
Pre-instructions for gastric sleeve surgery
Before gastric sleeve operation, some tips are necessary to be followed by the patient.
The patient should stop taking medicines that contain aspirin, ibuprofen combinations, anti-inflammatory, or Vitamin E that lead to blood thinning.
The patient should avoid smoking for at least two weeks before the operation. Nicotine products may affect the results of your surgery and hamper the healing process.
The patient should stop drinking alcohol or coffee for a week prior to the operation because it might cause some complications after the anesthesia.
The patient should stop eating or drinking the night before the surgery.
How does sleeve gastrectomy work?
Let us have a close look at how gastric sleeve surgery is performed:
The surgery is done under general anesthesia, which ensures the patient falls into a deep sleep during the operation.
The surgeon will make several small incisions around your abdomen.
Then, a laparoscope is inserted into your abdominal area through these small incisions. The laparoscope is a very thin tube with a tiny camera.
The surgeon will cut and remove around 80% of the stomach using this tube and surgical instruments.
The remaining part of the stomach will be sutured together, creating a banana-shaped stomach.
Finally, the surgeon will close the abdominal incisions with dissolved sutures.
Post-instructions for gastric sleeve surgery
Usually, you can leave the hospital (1-3) days after the operation. But you need to follow some important long-term instructions to ensure good results.
For the first few days after surgery, you should stick to a specific diet consisting mostly of water and fluids. Then the first four weeks, you can start to eat runny food such as yogurt. Between (4-6) weeks, you can eat soft food, such as pureed food. Finally, you go back gradually to a normal balanced diet.
You should eat and chew food slowly for the first days after the operation.
You should take your medicines, such as pain medications and antibiotics prescribed by your doctor.
You should avoid certain foods that can block your stomach.
It is very important to take vitamins and mineral supplements.
You should exercise regularly to help you get the best result of the operation.
You should not smoke for 5 weeks after the operation.
