Gastric sleeve surgery in East Texas
At UT Health Tyler Bariatric Center, our compassionate team of weight loss surgeons is dedicated to providing effective weight loss solutions tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Specializing in advanced weight loss surgery, our weight loss clinic offers sleeve gastrectomy, a non-reversible bariatric surgery procedure known for exceptional weight loss outcomes. Our experienced bariatric surgeons are committed to guiding you through every step of your weight loss journey, ensuring you receive the highest quality care at our state-of-the-art weight loss center. Discover a new path to health and wellness with our personalized weight loss procedures at UT Health Tyler.
About sleeve gastrectomy
Sleeve gastrectomy surgery is a non-reversible weight loss procedure that involves removing approximately 75-80% of the stomach, resulting in a tube-like or “sleeve” structure. This significant reduction in stomach size limits food intake, leading to weight loss. Unlike gastric bypass or other complex bariatric surgeries, sleeve gastrectomy is less invasive and does not involve rerouting the intestines.
Sleeve gastrectomy surgery has four effects, and every patient experiences different degrees of each effect. These effects are:
- Dumping: You may experience unpleasant reactions to certain foods, including fatty foods, high-calorie liquids and sweets. Dumping can include nausea, diarrhea, cramping and low blood sugar. This helps you stay away from high-calorie foods.
- Malabsorption: After sleeve gastrectomy, you may not digest all of the calories in the food you eat. This is a relatively minor effect of the surgery
- Reduced appetite: As with gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy reduces a “hunger hormone” called ghrelin. There is usually no hunger at all for the first few weeks to months. After that, it varies, with some people getting normal hunger back, and others who never seem to.
- Restriction: The much smaller stomach means you will be able to eat most, if not all types of food, but fill up much faster. About a cup to a cup and a half of food is what most people can comfortably eat.
Sleeve gastrectomy offers several advantages as a bariatric procedure. It typically results in higher average weight loss compared to the gastric band and does not involve the placement of any device. Sleeve gastrectomy surgery is less complex than gastric bypass or switch procedures, and it preserves the pylorus, thus avoiding the ulcer risk associated with gastric bypass. There is also a lower chance of vitamin or mineral deficiencies compared to gastric bypass or switch procedures (SADI-S or Classic BPD/DS) and less risk of malabsorption problems.
However, sleeve gastrectomy has its disadvantages. It results in lower average weight loss five years after surgery compared to gastric bypass or switch procedures. GERD (acid reflux) is more common after sleeve gastrectomy than other operations, and diabetes control or improvement is not as significant as with gastric bypass or switch procedures. Additionally, sleeve gastrectomy is non-reversible.
Talk to one of our weight loss doctors about which procedure is best for you.
