Benefits of gastric sleeve: main advantages of this weight-loss surgery

Are you interested in learning about the benefits of gastric sleeve To find out if it is as good as it seems? In this article we will show you some of the main advantages of this operation.

If you are here, you probably know that the gastric sleeve It is one of the most common and popular weight-loss surgeries available.

In fact, in general, it is the surgery recommended by specialists for patients with morbid obesity for reasons that we will explain to you later.

Let's look at some of the main benefits of gastric sleeve surgery and some of its drawbacks.

You may be interested in: Pros and cons of the gastric sleeve

Main benefits of gastric sleeve

The gastric sleeve has important benefits for reducing obesity; let’s see what are some of the greatest advantages of this operation:

1. You can lose up to 70% of excess weight

Gastric sleeve surgery is a fairly effective procedure for reducing your weight. It can help you lose between 60 and 70% of the excess weight you have in a period of 1 to 2 years.

Of course, this is an estimate, and results may vary depending on the patient's clinical condition, the treatment they receive after the operation, and how well they adhere to their diet.

However, it is most common to lose between 60 and 70% of the excess weight with an operation such as gastric sleeve, regardless of the patient's conditions.

2. It is one of the safest bariatric surgeries

Gastric sleeve surgery is one of the safest weight-loss surgeries, especially when compared to surgeries like the gastric bypass and the SADI-S surgery.

In addition, it is the least invasive operation because it uses a laparoscopic technique. With this, the bariatric surgeon It ensures that the incisions are small and minimizes the impact of the entire procedure in general, so it will affect you much less than other obesity surgeries.

3. You will recover faster from the operation

The postoperative recovery of the gastric sleeve is very quick. After the surgery, the recovery time takes a few weeks, between 2 and 4 weeks. It is very unlikely that it will take longer.

After the first week, you will usually already feel a noticeable improvement and you can start eating softer foods.

Although it will always depend on your health conditions and the instructions of your bariatric surgeon, the gastric sleeve stands out precisely for having a very quick recovery, which makes sense considering that it is a minimally invasive operation.

4. It is a very quick surgery

The gastric sleeve procedure only takes about 1 hour or 1 hour and 30 minutes, making it one of the fastest bariatric surgeries. It requires much less time than the gastric bypass procedure, which takes between 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours.

So, in general, it is a fairly quick surgery; that is why, and because of its effectiveness, it is the preferred surgery of many specialists.

5. Reduces the desire to eat and makes you feel full with less food

The gastric sleeve reduces the production of ghrelin, the hormone that causes you to feel hungry, thereby helping you feel less hungry more often.

In addition, because the gastric sleeve also reduces the total size of the stomach, it reduces its capacity and makes you feel fuller with less food.

Disadvantages of gastric sleeve

Although the gastric sleeve has enormous advantages, it also has some disadvantages that you should take into account, especially regarding the time you will need to see results. 

These are some of the main disadvantages of the gastric sleeve:

1. The results take longer than with other bariatric surgeries

Although the gastric sleeve is very effective, its effects take longer to be noticed than, for example, with bariatric surgeries such as gastric bypass, something that the specialized health portal highlights. Healthline.

The positive thing is that it is very difficult to regain the weight lost, because your stomach will not have the same size as before and you will not feel as hungry.

2. You lose less weight than with gastric bypass

Although gastric sleeve surgery is quite effective for weight loss, it is not the bariatric surgery that will make you lose more weight. In this case, gastric bypass surgery is much more effective.

Of course, the gastric sleeve procedure compensates for this by being a much less invasive, faster, and generally safer operation.

3. It is an irreversible surgery

When performing the gastric sleeve procedure, the bariatric surgeon removes a portion of the stomach. That portion of the stomach that is removed cannot be recovered, and the stomach will not return to its pre-surgery condition over time.

That is why it is very important that you consider all the pros and cons of gastric sleeve surgery before undergoing this procedure, as you will not be able to reverse it.

In any case, this is something you should discuss with your bariatric surgeon; it is this specialist who is best qualified to tell you which type of procedure is right for you, depending on your health conditions and the results you are looking for. 

Now you know some of the advantages of the gastric sleeve and some of its disadvantages.

Beyond its specificities, gastric sleeve surgery is a weight-loss operation that can help you change your life and improve your health. Moreover, it is one of the safest.

But remember, before making the decision to have one performed, consult with your bariatric surgeon; they will help you understand which one is best for you.

It is also a good idea to get an idea of how much does a gastric sleeve cost and what they are Main differences between the gastric sleeve and gastric bypass, These are two of the most common operations for losing weight.