Gastric Sleeve

Reducing stomach size to limit food intake

Gastric sleeve is the most common bariatric procedure performed these days.

In gastric sleeve surgery, the stomach is reduced down to a narrow tube or “sleeve” by cutting part of the stomach out. Having a smaller stomach means that patients can feel full with smaller meals. The part of the stomach that is removed is responsible for some of the sensation of hunger. This means you will feel less hungry, especially in the first few months after surgery. To obtain the best results, you will have to commit to the necessary lifestyle changes for the rest of your life.

Benefits of Gastric Sleeve

Gastric sleeve reduces the amount of food that the stomach can hold. This leads to feeling satisfied with smaller portions. This operation does not involve placing large foreign objects inside the body like in gastric banding, nor does it involve re-routing the gastrointestinal tract like with gastric bypass. It causes a decrease in hunger as well. Patients who commit to the lifestyle changes that are required once the surgery is completed typically lose 65% of their excess weight.

Long Term Concerns of Gastric Sleeve

Gastric sleeve is non-reversible. This means you cannot expect to regrow or stretch the stomach back to its normal size. Once you heal from surgery, gastric sleeve causes few long-term side effects. The most common are some risk of chronic acid reflux. This may require prolonged use of acid reducing medications. There’s some risk of nutritional deficiencies, in particular, the possibility of vitamin B12 deficiency. Other deficiencies are less common than with gastric bypass.