A sleeve gastrectomy, gastric sleeve, is a bariatric procedure that creates a vertical sleeve of stomach using a stapling device. When patients are looking at the various weight loss surgeries available, many choose the gastric sleeve surgery. This procedure is designed for people who are at least 18 years old, have a BMI of 35 or more, need to lose at least 50 pounds, and have experienced past failures with traditional weight loss methods.
If you are a candidate for the gastric sleeve surgery, schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Frenzel today. During your consultation, Dr. Frenzel will go over your medical history, discuss all of the bariatric surgeries to help you find the perfect procedure for your specific needs, answer any questions, and address any concerns you might have.
The sleeve surgery removes about 80 percent of the stomach, leaving you with a new stomach, a vertical sleeve, that is about the size of a banana. While typical stomach can hold about 1.5 liters of food or liquid, the sleeve reduces this number to about 50 milliliters. But, don’t let that number alarm you. Our society has created a surplus of food around us. When we capitalize on that our stomach stretch and have a reservoir that is so large! This large reservoir is a constant companion to those who structure with obesity.
Luckily, there is a solution that will not hurt your body! Reducing your stomach allows for normal digestion and absorption. Food consumed passes through the digestive tract as it always has so that the nutrients from your food are absorbed in the body as they are designed to do. There is no re-routing of the intestines. So, while your stomach is smaller and your food intake is restricted, you still feel full and your body still gets what it needs to be healthy.
The only difference is that your stomach is much smaller and you will feel full on a smaller portion of food. With that being said, it is crucial that the food you do eat has nutritional value. Because you eat less, you can either get full on donuts, which have not nutritional value, or you can choose healthier choices like fruits, vegetables, protein, etc. So make your meals count!
Gina is a patient who had the vertical gastric sleeve and lost 90 pounds, and is still losing. She went from a size 22 to a size 10 in eight months. She was on three different blood pressure medications, cholesterol medication, and had heart issues. After surgery, she didn’t have to take any blood pressure medicine. Her greatest joy was being able to cross her legs! She can get on the floor and play with her grandbabies, she can run, she can exercise. And, most, importantly, she feels proud of herself.
The gastric sleeve doesn’t just give you a smaller stomach, it gives you hope, it gives you a fresh start, it gives you an achievable goal.
