Sleeve Gastrectomy – Bariatric Surgery

Unlike other bariatric surgeries, the sleeve gastrectomy does not implant any foreign body into your abdomen or rearrange the intestines. Typically, this surgical procedure will be performed laparoscopically and under general anesthesia. It takes about one to two hours, and the procedure is irreversible.

Your surgeon will begin by making a few small incisions in your abdomen in order to insert a laparoscope, which is a narrow instrument with a tiny camera that sends images to a monitor. Using these images as a guide, the surgeon will use other surgical instruments to remove a large portion of your stomach. Your remaining stomach will then be shaped into a tube-like structure (about the size of a banana).

On the first day after your surgery, you will only be able to consume clear liquids. Once you leave the hospital, usually two to four days later, you will be able to eat a diet of soft pureed foods and liquids, such as protein shakes. Most of the time, regular food can be eaten after six weeks (in much smaller quantities than before), and you will need to take nutritional supplements for the rest of your life. After a complete recovery, most patients find that they can comfortably eat a wide variety of foods, including fibrous vegetables and meat.

Along with reducing the size of your stomach so you cannot eat as much, the smaller stomach created by the sleeve gastrectomy also produces less ghrelin, a hormone that helps to regulate your appetite. This may work as an appetite suppressant that boosts the success of your weight loss. In general, people lose about 60% of their extra weight within 12-18 months, especially when eating right and exercising, too.

The sleeve gastrectomy is intended as a treatment for severe obesity, particularly for people who have not been successful with long-term weight loss using other methods.

Sleeve gastrectomy is a major surgery, and every major surgery poses some potential health risks. The general complication rate of the sleeve gastrectomy is about 10% – 12%, and the rate of serious complications is less than 3%. Some side effects associated with the procedure are:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Injury to other organs
• Leaking from the staple line used to divide the stomach (rare)
• Pulmonary embolism
• Kidney stones
• Gallstones
• Gastrointestinal reflux
• Gastrointestinal obstructions

Immediately after the surgery, you may experience constipation, nausea, or vomiting, but these symptoms are typically short-lived. Also, you may find that certain foods no longer agree with you.

Not all overweight people are good candidates for this surgery, and there are some criteria that must be met before Sheba’s doctors approve a patient for the sleeve gastrectomy.

We generally perform this procedure for people who have been diagnosed with morbid obesity with a BMI (body mass index) over 40, or people who have a BMI over 35 and an obesity-related health condition. In addition, patients must be 18 years of age and older, have a history of failed weight loss attempts, and be committed to making significant diet and lifestyle changes.

Anyone who has a health complication that compromises their ability to handle the stress of the surgery is not a good candidate for the sleeve gastrectomy.

Our Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Unit is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies in specialized operating rooms that are dedicated to bariatric procedures. Our team comprises five world-class bariatric surgeons, granting you the benefits of their combined experience of having performed thousands of surgeries.

Sheba’s team will prepare you for the surgery and provide support during and after the procedure. The sleeve gastrectomy procedure does not stand alone as the means to achieving your weight loss goals. To assist you on your journey towards better health, we provide a comprehensive variety of holistic services. For example, nutritionists will teach you proper eating habits, psychologists can help with making behavioral pattern changes, and endocrinologists will assist with personalized therapies for diabetes and other endocrine issues.

Also, a personal medical coordinator from the International Medical Tourism Division will accompany you throughout every step of your treatment, ensuring that your experience at Sheba is comfortable and efficient.