GASTRIC SLEEVE

What is a Gastric Sleeve?
A Gastric Sleeve is a surgical procedure that favors the weight loss of a patient by restricting the amount of food that can be digested.

How is a Gastric Sleeve performed? 
It is considered a minimally invasive surgery, the surgeon will make two incisions in the stomach, insert a laparoscope and the instruments required to perform the surgery through these small cuts.

A laparoscope is a small tube that has a light source and a camera that is connected to a video monitor in the operating room. It relays images of the inside of your stomach to the television monitor in order for them to see what they’re doing. The surgeon will carefully remove a large part of your stomach, it’s usually between 70% to 80% of the total volume. The part of the stomach that is disconnected from your new stomach is the one where the Ghrelin cells are located, commonly known as the hormone that produces appetite.

Afterwards, they will then join together the remaining portions of your stomach and intestines using surgical staples to create a long sleeve shaped tube that will form your new stomach.

How long will it take to lose weight? 
The results may vary between patients, however, the standard time for the operation to show results is a week after.

How much weight can one lose with a Gastric Sleeve? 
The amount of weight one is able to lose after a Gastric Sleeve surgery depends on the nutrition and aftercare of each person. Most of the patients who’ve had the operation lose 70% to 80% of the excess weight with proper care.

How long will it take for the results to be noticeable? 
The results are almost immediate, however, the time it will take a patient to have a drastic change of the body is between 12 to 18 months depending on the discipline of their diet.

Is the Gastric Sleeve age-restricted? 
The age and health of a patient is an important aspect to take into consideration when thinking of realizing the surgery, however, a gastric bypass surgery can be performed on teenagers as well as people little over 55 years old with great success.

How long does surgery take? 
The whole procedures last approximately an hour and a half.

How long is the recovery at the hospital? 
The patient can be released from the hospital the day after the surgery.

What are the health benefits one will obtain from this procedure? 
Over 70% to 80% of the patients with high blood pressure could go without medicine for a short period of time and over 90% of patients with diabetes type II that aren’t insulin-dependent are also able to stop taking their meds temporarily.

Other obese-related health issues will be significantly reduced or completely eradicated, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux, asthma, joint pain, arthritis, chronic fatigue, psychological problems and dyspnea (difficulty breathing).

Is it possible to regain weight post-surgery? 
Yes, it is possible. Like any other surgery, patient’s must participate in the post-operation care of their procedure and their compromise to opt for a healthier lifestyle. However, the surgery can help you lose 70% to 80% percent of the current weight on its own.

What are the preoperative studies required for the procedure? 
1. Blood test
2. Electrocardiogram
3. Thorax X-Ray