Introduction:
Sleeve gastrectomy is a special weight loss procedure that is opted to reduce the excess fat accumulated on the patient’s body. When it becomes too difficult for you to lose weight, you should try this stomach reduction surgery. But it does not mean that you immediately start the process without any medical guidance. This is because weight loss bariatric surgeries involve high health risks and that is why you need to consult with a specialist before you actually go for an operation.
What Is Gastrectomy Surgery?
A special medical procedure in which 80% of the patient’s stomach is cut off is called gastrectomy surgery. This operation is the last choice for a person who is so obese and the chances of various diseases are high for him.
Gastrectomy stomach surgery to lose weight is done laparoscopically. The procedure involves the insertion of small tubes in the upper abdomen of the patient through various points. The gastrectomy sleeve procedure is done to reduce the size of the stomach to a sleeve (one-tenth of the actual size) that is quite similar to a banana-shaped organ. With such a shape of the stomach, the patient feels full by eating very less food.
Why Gastrectomy Sleeve Surgery Is Needed?
This particular stomach reduction surgery is quite different from ordinary gastric bypass operations. It is done so that you may lose weight without any health-related issues that are:
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Stroke
- High cholesterol and blood pressure
- Infertility
- Cancer
When It Is Needed?
- Basically, gastrectomy sleeve surgery to lose fat is the last option left when a patient does not lose weight after eating a restrictive diet
- When BMI exceeds 40 it indicates that the patient is in the obesity III phase which can be very dangerous for the health
- Also, if the BMI of a patient lies between 35-39.9, he is considered in the obese range and can have serious health-related problems. This is why gastrectomy bariatric surgery to lose fat is the best choice for such patients if possible
What You Can Expect?
A person may be discharged within a couple of days after the surgery is performed.
The Procedure:
- The patient is given general anesthesia before the actual stomach reduction surgery starts
- Then the doctor inserts small vertical tubes in the upper part of the abdomen and cuts the curved portion of the stomach
- The whole procedure is carried out with special care while keeping the patient a little bit of sense
- About 80% of the stomach is removed by using staples
Complications After Gastrectomy Sleeve Surgery:
Some patients may have to face certain complications after the surgery is completed. The time passage of these complications starts from days to months. Among these include:
Short-Term Complications:
Indigestion:
A few patients may feel severe indigestion after the surgery. This can be either due to the way food moves through the digestive tract or the small pouch size of the stomach left.
Nausea:
Nausea can be another issue that is noted in certain patients and lasts for months. The actual cause of nausea is not known but it can be treated easily.
Diarrhea:
After the surgery, the level of bacteria gets disturbed in the patient’s digestive system. This leads to severe diarrhea issues that can make the patient very weak if not treated timely.
Sagging Skin:
The skin of the patient gets stretched enough due to weight gain. But once the stomach reduction surgery is performed, the tightened skin shows a remarkable sagging that can last up to several months.
Long-Term Complications:
Weight Regain:
When the gastrectomy sleeve surgery to lose fat is done, patients do not gain weight in the first three-year cycle of the surgery. But if they do not adopt any healthy activity, the chances of weight gain become higher again.
Food Intolerance:
This is another severe complication that certain patients face after surgery. The main reason for this complication is the reduced size of the stomach which makes it difficult to digest certain foods.
Malnutrition:
It happens mostly when a patient has diarrhea or nausea after the surgery. In such a condition, the body of the patient becomes unable to drag more nutrients from the food he eats.
Weight Loss Failure:
After the surgery, the pouch of the stomach is not very stretched. This is why it can not hold food of more than half a cup. But with the passage of time, the size is increased and if in this condition the patient does not control diet, weight loss failure is the only complication they have to face.
Stomach Ulcers:
Stomach ulcers can be another leading complication after gastrectomy sleeve bariatric surgery. Usually, stomach ulcers can lead to dark stool, blood in vomits, and severe pain in the stomach.
Incisional Hernia:
An incisional hernia is formed when the organs of the bodywork by applying pressure on the weak point of the muscle. Hernia can arise after any surgery but its chances after gastrectomy surgery are less common.
Rare Complications:
Abscess:
It is a pouch of pus that may be formed in the body due to intestinal leaks. After gastrectomy sleeve surgery, the abscess is formed rarely in the spleen, an organ that helps in blood filtration.
Delayed Leak:
After the surgery, chances of a suture line disruption are there if the stomach contents leak through the points sewn together. This rarely happens just after the stomach reduction surgery is performed.
