Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve Surgery: Minimally Invasive Approach

If you are struggling with weight issues, you might want to consider obesity surgery. This procedure is also called bariatric surgery. If you have a BMI higher than 40 or higher than 35, or if you have other obesity-related health issues, your healthcare provider may tell you about it. These issues include sleep apnea and diabetes. One of the options for bariatric surgery is laparoscopic gastric sleeve, which is a great option for those looking for a less invasive procedure.

What is Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve?

A laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (also called a vertical sleeve gastrectomy or gastric sleeve) is a type of surgery that helps you lose weight by reducing the amount of food (and calories) you can eat. In the surgery, a big chunk of your stomach is taken out - about 85 percent of it! During the procedure, the portion of the stomach that makes ghrelin, a hormone that signals hunger to the brain, is removed.

The Minimally Invasive Approach

Under general anesthesia, gastric sleeve surgery is a non reversible procedure done in a hospital. In order to do the surgery, Turkey Luxury Clinics’ surgeons will make about 5 small cuts in your belly to insert long, thin scopes with tiny cameras at the end. Through these incisions, surgeons will push tools that allow them to remove 80% of your stomach. The surgeons will do the procedure while viewing images on a TV screen in the operating room.

This surgery is used to remove the part of your stomach that curves outward. We call this part of your stomach the fundus. After that, your surgeon will close the rest of your stomach into a tube shape that looks like a banana. It's like the sleeve of your shirt! That's why it's called a "sleeve gastrectomy." You'll find that you can fill up quickly at mealtimes and eat less because you'll have a much smaller stomach.

The fundus secretes a hormone called ghrelin. This hormone may play a role in making you feel you hungry. So, when we remove it, it might also help you lose weight by making you feel less hungry.

Given the advanced technique being used, the surgery takes about 2 hours, and most people are discharged from the hospital within 2 days after surgery.

Is Gastric Sleeve Surgery Right for Me?

To confidently determine that gastric sleeve is your weight loss surgery of choice, you have to seriously consider two reasons. First, you might be a little hesitant about the idea of having your intestines rerouted, like in a gastric bypass. Some patients find that the sleeve option offers a more comfortable experience.

Secondly, some patients who have had major abdominal surgeries in the past might be at a higher risk of problems after a gastric bypass surgery compared to a sleeve. This is especially true for patients who have had previous intestinal surgeries or big hernia operations. Also, a sleeve gastrectomy is easier to perform in patients who have a high BMI or weight greater than 500 pounds.

Top Reasons to Consider Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve Surgery

1. If your BMI is more than 60, gastric sleeve is a great option for your first surgery. It can help you lose enough weight to get to a healthier BMI. Then, when you are ready, you can have a second surgery to really take off those extra pounds. It is important to understand that some forms of bariatric surgery can carry more risks for people with a BMI over 60.

1. Gastric Sleeve may be a safer choice for you than other longer and more complicated weight-loss surgeries if you're older or have other risk factors for surgery. Some of these risk factors include heart, lung, or liver problems.

1. If your BMI falls within the range of 40 to 50, your healthcare provide may recommend gastric sleeve surgery. This is because it is thought to be less likely to cause side effects than other forms of weight-loss surgery. Some possible side effects may include stomach ulcers or poor food absorption.

Potential Risks of Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve

It is important to note that any surgery performed under general anesthesia does carry a certain degree of risk for heart and brain damage. However, it is also essential to emphasize that these risks are generally low. Because gastric sleeve is a shorter procedure than other bariatric surgeries, there is a 5% to 10% risk for a complication, such as:

1. Stomach fluids leaking from where the stomach was removed.
2. Bleeding & infection
3. Slow wound healing
4. Blood clot forming in your leg and traveling to your lungs and heart
5. Poor absorption of nutrients
6. Bowel blocking
7. Narrowing of the inner diameter of the new stomach
8. Risk of stomach pushing against diaphragm causing hiatal hernia

At Turkey Luxury Clinics, our medical team will continue to follow up with you beyond the third year after your surgery to help prevent gastrointestinal problems and weight regain.

Why Turkey Luxury Clinics?

Receive an expert consultation from our professional bariatric surgeons who will evaluate your candidacy for a weight-loss surgery, provide you with options that best suit your needs and condition, and explain the pros and cons of your preferred weight-loss option.

You can trust the process of sleeve gastrectomy from start to finish with the help and expertise of our medical team, including Dr. Gokman Ozturk, Dr. Hakan Seyit, and many other top professionals!