Losing weight is a difficult and long journey for many overweight patients. Some are in a critical situation where they suffer from weight-related medical conditions like heart disease or diabetes. Exercising and dieting offer almost no help to these patients, and the way forward is swift surgical intervention.
This is why overweight patients turn to surgical methods like Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeves (LSG) to turn their life around. It is a complex surgery that experienced hands must only perform.
This article will help shed more light on Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve surgery: how it is performed, how it helps reduce weight, possible risks associated with it, and if you are a good candidate for it.
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How is Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve Performed?
Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve surgery’s main aim is to remove 75% of the stomach so the patient can consume a small quantity of food. This surgery involves using a video camera (laparoscope) that helps surgeons see the inside of your abdomen without needing extensive incisions to reach the stomach.
When performing this procedure, your surgeon will begin by giving you general anesthesia so that you feel comfortable during the surgery. Once the anesthesia effects start, your surgeon will then make 3 to 5 small incisions in the abdomen. Through those incisions, a laparoscope is inserted to view the inside of your stomach.
Once your surgeon has a clear view of what is inside your stomach, a large portion is removed, and the remaining stomach parts are joined together using surgical staples. It’s important to note that no intestines are removed or bypassed during the sleeve gastrectomy.
The surgeon will create a long vertical tube or banana-shaped stomach. It usually takes two hours to complete the surgery.
How do Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeves Cause weight loss?
Gastric sleeve Turkey surgery greatly reduces the size of your stomach and limits food intake. It makes you feel full by eating a small amount of food. By so doing, it does not cause decreased absorption of nutrients or bypass your intestines.
In some instances, Gastric Sleeve may also cause a decrease in appetite. Not only does it help you lose weight by reducing the size of your stomach, but it also reduces the amount of “hunger hormone” produced by the stomach, which may contribute to weight loss after the procedure.
How Much Weight Loss You Can Lose After LGS?
The weight you lose after having LGS depends on your preoperative weight. But it is estimated that you can expect to lose between 40% to 70% of excess body weight in 12 months.
In general, the expected weight loss after the procedure varies from one patient to another.
What Are The Risks of LGS Surgery?
Just like any other complex surgery, LSG also comes with its own set of possible risks. And these include:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Injury to other organs,
- A leak from the staple line used to divide the stomach.
Although the risks can be rare when a certified surgeon performs the surgery, it’s essential to know that it might come with side effects sometimes.
Is LGS The Right Procedure For Me?
Only some people are ideal candidates for the LGS procedure. You are only eligible for the procedure if you are in good health. The doctors must examine your health status before proceeding with the surgery.
Patients with diabetes or addicted to surgery foods, alcohol, or acidic beverages will not qualify for the procedure.
LGS is usually used as part of a staged approach to surgical weight loss. If you have a very high body mass index (BMI) or are at risk of having heart or lung problems because of being overweight, you’d be a good candidate for this surgery. People with a BMI over 35 can make an ideal candidate.
Gastric sleeve surgery is significantly more affordable abroad, especially in a country like Turkey, where they have a surplus of board-certified doctors in weight loss surgeries.
But finding the right surgeon abroad is tricky, so some patients prefer to leave the planning for a medical tourism agency like Flymedi. You can make an informed decision by comparing clinics’ reviews and all-inclusive packages.
