What is the gastric sleeve and what is it used for?

Are you interested in learning what a gastric sleeve is and how it can help you lose weight? If you've been trying all kinds of options to reduce excess weight with no results, this could be just the bariatric surgery for you.

The gastric sleeve is one of the most common weight loss operations recommended by specialists, both for their results and for their safety.

In addition, it not only allows you to lose weight considerably, but also helps to reduce the impact of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes or hypertension.

Surely it is quite clear that it is a weight reduction operation that can be very positive, but what exactly is the gastric sleeve? Read on, we explain in detail this bariatric procedure, what it consists of and the results it can offer you.

What is gastric sleeve?

Gastric sleeve, also called vertical gastrectomy, is a minimally invasive surgical procedure performed to treat obesity. In this procedure, the stomach is reduced in size by up to 80% to decrease both the sensation of hunger and the amount of food needed to be full, which helps to lose weight significantly and effectively.

Yes, the surgery only reduces the size of the stomach, but it does not affect the digestive system process, literally, you will only fill up with less food.

In addition, the gastric sleeve is one of the fastest and least invasive bariatric operations, the procedure only takes about 1 hour and has few risks. The gastric sleeve price is also among the lowest of all bariatric surgeries.

What is a gastric sleeve used for?

The gastric sleeve is designed to treat obesity and reduce the patient's weight quickly. It also reduces the impact of chronic diseases caused by excess weight, such as diabetes or hypertension.

The procedure also decreases the production of ghrelin, the hormone that generates the sensation of hunger, which means that the gastric sleeve reduces the sensation of hunger; and because it also reduces the size of the stomach, the stomach fills more easily.

So not only will you feel less hungry, you'll also fill up on less food, all of which contributes to weight loss.

What does the gastric sleeve procedure consist of?

The gastric sleeve procedure involves the removal of a portion of the stomach through a series of small incisions in the abdomen. 

This is performed using a minimally invasive laparoscopic technique, in which a small camera and special surgical tools are used so that the incisions are small and imperceptible.

After a portion of the stomach has been removed, the remaining stomach is given a tubular or sleeve shape, which gives this bariatric operation its name.

Although the surgery is irreversible, it is less invasive than other weight loss options, such as the gastric bypass.

How much weight can be lost with the gastric sleeve?

In general, with the gastric sleeve you can lose between 20 and 40 kg of weight.. Although the amount of weight you will lose will depend on several factors, such as your state of health, your lifestyle, your commitment to diet and exercise after the operation, etc.

As a patient, if you undergo gastric sleeve surgery, you can expect to lose about 60% or 70% of excess weight. you have within two years after the operation.

Who should undergo gastric sleeve surgery?

The gastric sleeve is designed for people who suffer from obesity and associated health problems. Above all, it is oriented to those people who have tried more conventional methods to lose weight, such as physical exercise or diets, without any success. In these cases, the gastric sleeve could be one of the few definitive solutions to the patient's problem.

However, you will have to have certain health conditions (to reduce the risks of the operation) and you will need to be within the minimum recommended weight for bariatric surgery.

In any case, it must be a bariatric who will tell you, previously evaluating your case and with a series of studies, which of all the bariatric operations is the most convenient for you, will also clarify if the gastric sleeve is what you need or not.

As you can see, there are many reasons to consider this operation one of the best to address weight problems.

Now that you know what a gastric sleeve is, you can get a clearer idea about the benefits it could bring you, and what the surgical procedure itself would entail. Don't forget to take a look at the pros and cons of the gastric sleeve if you want to get an idea of whether it is suitable in your case.

Of course, it is not the only type of surgery that exists, in fact, there are alternatives, such as gastric bypass, with particular advantages and disadvantages. So it would be a good idea for you to familiarize yourself with the differences between gastric bypass and gastric sleeve to consider all of the options you have, with their pros and cons, within the bariatric surgery.