The Sleeve Gastrectomy is a restrictive procedure which limits the amount of food you can eat
by reducing the size of your stomach.
To gain access to the abdominal cavity, small incisions are created on the abdomen.
Trocars, which serve as passageways for the surgical instruments, are placed into the
incisions.
Surgical instruments are passed through the trocars to access the abdominal cavity.
The surgeon examines the abdomen using a laparoscope or video camera.
The average human stomach can expand to hold around 1 to 1.5 liters of food.
While in the stomach, food is combined with digestive enzymes to help break down the food
into a more simple form so that it can be more easily digested and absorbed
once in the small bowel.
During a Sleeve Gastrectomy, a thin vertical sleeve is created by using a stapling device.
This sleeve will typically hold between 50 to 150 milliliters or as about the size of
a banana. The excise portion of the stomach is removed.
The newly created gastric sleeve is able to hold approximately one tenth
of what the stomach was able to hold before.
This smaller stomach sleeve restricts the amount of food you can eat before feeling
full.
The bile and pancreatic fluids from the liver and pancreas mix with the food
and allow it to be completely digested and absorbed in the bowel.
There is no rerouting of the small bowel or post-operative adjustments necessary for the
Sleeve Gastrectomy.
As with all weight loss procedures, behavior modification and dietary compliance
plays a critical part in determining the long-term success of the procedure.
All surgery presents risks.
Weight, age and medical history determine your specific risks.
Ask your doctor if bariatric surgery is right for you.