Is Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery the right weight loss surgery option for your needs in Ft. Myers, Florida?

Sleeve gastrectomy is a type of bariatric surgery that reduces the size of the stomach to help people lose weight. Also known as a vertical gastrectomy, restrictive vertical gastroplasty or vertical sleeve gastrectomy, the procedure is useful in patients with extremely high body mass index (50+. It is also useful for patients with medical conditions such as anemia, Crohn’s disease or extensive prior surgery that may make other weight loss surgery procedures a poor choice.

During gastric sleeve surgery, Dr. Bass removes about 75 percent of the stomach, leaving a long and slender tube shaped like a banana. This new, much smaller stomach holds just a few ounces of food and therefore helps people lose weight by restricting the amount of food that can be eaten before feeling full.

The part of the stomach that is removed normally secretes a hormone that is responsible for appetite and hunger. Without it, people don’t feel the need to eat as often as they did before. This, coupled with the stomach’s now limited capacity, encourages dramatic weight loss after surgery.

What are the Benefits of Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery?

Gastric sleeve is similar to gastric band and gastric bypass procedures because it restricts the size of the stomach and its ability to hold food. However, there are some benefits of Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery that make some people prefer this option of weight loss surgery over gastric band and gastric bypass. Benefits include:

• There’s no rerouting of the intestines
• No band is being introduced into the body
• Can be performed if you are ineligible for gastric bypass or LAP-BAND

However, unlike LAP-BAND, the removal of part of the stomach during the sleeve gastrectomy means that the procedure is not reversible and is therefore a permanent surgery.

What to Expect from Gastric Sleeve

For most people, weight loss from sleeve gastrectomy is better that seen following gastric band surgery and compares favorably with Gastric Bypass. The reduced stomach capacity and decreased secretion of appetite stimulating hormones following sleeve gastrectomy are important aids to losing weight, but long term weight control depends on close adherence to the dietary guidelines provided by Dr. Bass. Your post-bariatric diet and post-bariatric lifestyle will take a commitment to yourself and will require as much positive motivation as any other weight loss option. Gastric sleeve procedures have helped many patients in areas surrounding Fort Myers and Naples, Florida to successfully lose weight and lead healthier lives.