Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Gastric sleeve surgery is a relatively new approach to weight loss surgery. Like all weight loss surgeries, it is geared to help the obese and morbidly obese lose an extreme amount of excess weight. Lite Life Surgery in Palm Springs provides expertise in the gastric sleeve surgery procedure.

The sleeve gastrectomy surgery is the first component of the duodenal switch operation (a procedure that bypasses most of the small intestines and causes the body to absorb less calories and fat). During the gastric sleeve surgery, the lateral 2/3rds of the stomach are excluded with a stapling device. The end result of stomach sleeve surgery is a stomach that is shaped like a tube, rather than a sack. This decreases the amount of contents a stomach can hold, allows people to feel fuller sooner, and results in rapid weight loss.

The amount of weight lost from this procedure is typically between 40 and 60 percent of excessive weight within one to two years.

Like many weight loss surgeries, stomach sleeve surgery can be preformed laparoscopically, rather than as an open operation. The advantages of a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy procedure are reduced recovery times, less bleeding and infection, decreased pain, and less chances for serious complications. Laparoscopic procedures may even be better for patients whose health does not allow for more invasive, open operations.

Sometimes, gastric sleeve surgery is performed as an initial step in a two part bypass operation. This two part operation is often recommended if patients are extremely obese (with a BMI over 60), because the gastric sleeve surgery allows the patient to lose a good amount of weight in a short amount of time. After the patient reaches a safer BMI, the more radical bypass is then performed.

Patients who qualify for gastric sleeve surgery typically have a BMI over 40, though it is sometimes performed on patients with BMI's between 35 and 39 if they have weight related illnesses such as type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

When comparing gastric sleeve vs gastric bypass, stomach sleeve surgery may be better for patients who can't return as often for the follow-up visits required by bypass, and banding procedures. Thus, for patients who live in remote areas around the state of California, gastric sleeve surgery is among the most viable options. For residents of Palm Springs, gastric sleeve surgery is a good option for people who travel often or are simply too busy to make several follow up appointments.

Prior to undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, patients should quit smoking to decrease their chances of life threatening complications (such as pneumonia and blood clots). Though there is limited data, this type of procedure can occasionally lead to late weight gain (years after the procedure is initially performed). If this occurs, other weight loss procedures may be performed in conjunction.

If interested in the stomach sleeve surgery, Southern California residents are encouraged to contact Lite Life Surgery for more information. We serve Banning, CA, Beaumont, CA, Palm Springs, CA, Palm Desert, Ca, Cathedral City, CA, La Quinta, CA, Rancho Mirage, CA, Indio, CA, Redlands, CA, Desert Hot Springs, CA, Thousand Palms, CA to name a few.

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