If you’re looking for a simple, straightforward way to lose weight, then a gastric sleeve might be for you. It is a form of surgical weight loss which was originally developed for people with severe obesity and runs on a similar principle to a gastric bypass. While it was initially designed for people with morbid obesity, there’s no reason why you can’t use it to shed off a few kilograms.
Let’s take a closer look at how this procedure works and how you can expect to lose weight with a gastric sleeve.
How Does It Work?
As the name might suggest, a gastric sleeve is a form of surgical weight loss that involves wrapping the stomach. This is usually performed laparoscopically (through a small incision), so there’s relatively little discomfort or impact on the patient’s day-to-day life. You’ll need to take it easy for the first few days after the procedure and may need to use pain medication or a bland diet to ensure that your stomach heals properly.
The gastric sleeve is designed to prevent the stomach from expanding and allows for easy access to the intestines. This means that you can eat what you want without worrying about your stomach bursting. Obviously, this requires you to be conscious of what you’re eating and makes it easier for the surgeon to monitor the weight loss progress.
How Effective Is It?
In the scientific community, the gastric sleeve has been studied quite extensively and shown to be highly effective – with some patients reporting weight loss of up to 70% of their initial weight. Not only that, but it has also been shown to be a more long-term solution for weight loss than other commonly used bariatric procedures. This is largely thanks to the fact that it doesn’t require huge lifestyle changes and can, in most cases, be performed on an outpatient basis. It’s also worth noting that it’s a very reversible procedure and the majority of patients are able to maintain their weight loss. If you’re looking for a surgical solution to help you lose weight, then a gastric sleeve might be the right choice for you.
Should You Consider It?
If you’re looking for a straightforward solution to help you lose weight, then a gastric sleeve is a popular choice among bariatric surgeons. It is also one of the most frequently performed procedures in the world and there’s always going to be someone who matches your situation to choose this option. However, it is essential that you are aware of the possible drawbacks before making this decision. Some of the most significant issues include:
- It’s not for everyone – Just because you’re a perfect candidate for this procedure does not mean that it will be easy for you to get it done. There are a number of factors which the surgeon will need to consider before performing the surgery. For example, you have to be at least 18 years old and have a BMI over 40. In addition, you will need to have at least a 10-pack year smoking history and be taking a variety of medications. Fortunately, these factors are quite manageable and the surgeon will be able to find a solution which fits your situation perfectly.
- It’s a major operation – If you’re really interested in losing weight, then you should definitely consider this procedure. It is, however, a fairly major surgery which requires a lot of recovery time. According to the research, the average patient will need 4-6 weeks for their body to heal properly before they can lift more than a few kilos. In some cases, this can be as long as 8 weeks or more. This is going to be a big hurdle for those who are just starting out on their journey to weight loss but it’s also worth noting that this is a procedure which is mostly done on an outpatient basis. Most patients can return to their regular daily activities right away.
- It doesn’t produce perfect results – Even though the gastric sleeve has been performed on thousands of patients and shown to be highly effective, it doesn’t produce perfect results. This is largely because it is a procedure which is done to assist people with losing weight and it’s also difficult to follow every rule which the surgeon gives you in the process of doing so. It’s also worth noting that there are a variety of different surgical techniques which can be used to perform the gastric sleeve. The surgeon may need to make some small adjustments to the procedure which they perform in order to get the best possible results.
- Scarring remains – One of the major issues which patients need to be aware of is that there’s always going to be some scarring which remains from the surgery. In some cases, this can be quite serious and in others it’s not so bad. The best way to look at it is that there’s always going to be some scarring. The important thing is that it fades away quite quickly and it doesn’t affect your day-to-day life. In most cases, this will be a cosmetic issue which doesn’t really matter all that much.
Having said that, even though the gastric sleeve is a popular choice among bariatric surgeons, it’s still not for everyone. If you’re looking for a straightforward solution which can help you lose weight, then a gastric bypass might be a better option. This is because the gastric bypass is designed to assist with weight loss and it allows for a variety of different foods which the patient can eat as long as they follow the guidelines set by their surgeon. In most cases, this means the patient can have sugar-free foods as well as salads and other foods which are low in fat. There’s also the option of having a gastric bypass performed laparoscopically so there’s very little recovery time involved. It’s also worth noting that this procedure allows for more long-term results compared to a gastric sleeve.
Is It Safe?
As with most forms of major surgery, the safety of the gastric sleeve is a big concern. Obviously, we’re not talking about minor surgeries here which are performed on an outpatient basis. When it comes to performing a gastric sleeve, there are a number of issues which the surgeon needs to be concerned about. For example, you have the issue of bleeding which can occur if the patient is taking aspirin or other NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) which are used to treat arthritis. In this situation, the surgeon will have to make sure that the patient stops taking these drugs prior to the surgery. In addition to this, you have the issue of vomiting which can occur during and after the surgery. Most patients are able to have this done on an outpatient basis so there’s very little impact on their daily life. However, it is still considered a fairly high-risk surgery and in most cases, it’s not something which you need to rush into. As with any other major surgery, you need to make sure that you’re medically prepared and there’s also the issue of finances which you need to consider as well. It’s not unusual for people to need financial assistance if they’re unable to pay for the surgery themselves. In some cases, insurance won’t cover the cost of the surgery so you’ll have to pay for it yourself. In other cases, you might have some insurance coverage but it won’t be enough to cover the entire cost of the surgery so you will have to come up with the rest of the money yourself. It’s also worth noting that the cost of the surgery will depend on a number of factors, including the type of insurance you have as well as the surgeon’s fees. In most cases, it’s not a cheap procedure but it’s still not as expensive as other bariatric surgeries.
How Much Does It Cost?
The cost of the gastric sleeve is always going to be higher than the cost of other bariatric surgeries. This is because it’s a more complicated surgery to perform. In addition to this, there is also the fact that it is a more invasive procedure which means there’s more of a chance of things going wrong. This is why it’s always better to consult with a bariatric surgeon so they can give you a realistic idea of what you’re going to need to spend. If you’re looking for a reliable source which can give you an idea of what you’ll need to spend on various types of surgeries, then you can check out this useful resource from the American Association of Feeding and Throwing Disorders: https://www.aafedtd.org/public/surgical-cost-calculator/.