Exactly How Does The Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Method Of Weight Loss Surgery Work?

As obesity continues to increase in the West weight loss surgery has become an everyday form of surgery in a large number of medical facilities.

The sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive form of weight loss surgery in which about 85 percent of the stomach is surgically removed leaving a cylindrical or sleeve shaped stomach with a much reduced capacity ranging from about 60 to 150 cc. Unlike most other types of obesity surgery, the outlet valve and the nerves to the stomach are left intact and, despite the fact that the stomach is radically reduced in size, its function is preserved. once again, unlike other types of bariatric surgery like the tried and tested Roux-en-Y gastric bypass the sleeve gastrectomy is not reversible.

Because the new stomach functions as normal there are many fewer restrictions when it comes to the foods that patients can consume following surgery, even though the quantity of food eaten will be very noticeably reduced. A lot of patients view this as being one of the great advantages of the vertical gastrectomy, together with the fact that removing most of the stomach also means the effective elimination of the hormones which are produced within the stomach and that stimulate hunger.

probably the greatest advantage of the vertical sleeve gastrectomy lies in the fact that it does not involve any bypass of the intestines so that patients do not thus experience the complications of bypass such as intestinal obstruction, osteoporosis, anemia and protein deficiency. It also means that it is an appropriate form of surgery for patients who are already suffering from Crohn's disease, anemia and a variety of other conditions which would put them at high risk for surgery involving intestinal bypass.

Finally, it is one of of only a few types of weight loss surgery that can be performed laparoscopically in people who are extremely overweight.

Possibly the main disadvantage of the sleeve gastrectomy is that it does not always create the loss in weight that people would like and may produce weight regain in the longer term. This is indeed the case with any form of purely restrictive weight loss surgery but it is possibly particularly true in the case of the sleeve gastrectomy.

Because the operation requires stapling of the stomach patients are at risk from leakage and of other complications that are specifically related to stapling. Additionally, as with any operation, patients run the risk of complications such as small bowel obstruction, post-operative bleeding, pneumonia and even death. The risk of running into these complications is happily very small and is in the region of about 0.5 and 1%. Having said this, the chance of death as a result of this form of operation at about 0 .25% is extremely small.

Generally speaking the vertical gastrectomy is most suited to individuals who are either extremely overweight or whose health would rule out other types of bariatric surgery. In the case of the first category the vertical gastrectomy would usually form the first of a two-part weight loss plan, with follow-up bariatric surgery being performed once the person's weight has fallen enough to permit other types of weight loss surgery to be done.

By: Donald Saunders

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GastricBypassFacts.info provides detailed information on the vertical sleeve gastrectomy and the sleeve gastrectomy with duodenal switch including detail of the duodenum function and the role of the jejunum tubes.