The most common type of weight loss surgery performed over the past 10 years, according to The American Society of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery, has been the gastric sleeve, which is also known as vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) as well as laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG).
This surgery has become very popular because it can help people lose a lot of weight and improve many health problems that are related to obesity. Many people suffer from chronic side effects after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery, like acid reflux (GERD), which can impact their quality of life, and unfortunately, once someone has gastric sleeve surgery, it cannot be reversed.
Today, we are going to talk a bit about what happens during gastric sleeve surgery, why it matters that the procedure cannot be reversed, and a gastric sleeve alternative that can result in similar weight loss results without the risks or complications.
What Gastric Sleeve Surgery Involves
Gastric sleeve surgery involves doctors removing a large part of the patient’s stomach during a surgical procedure. The patient’s new stomach is shaped into a sleeve-like tube and is made from what is left after approximately 80% of the stomach tissue is excised and removed. The patient’s smaller stomach helps them feel full sooner, so they eat less.
The exact way the surgery is done can be a little different depending on the surgeon and the method they use, but here is a basic idea of what usually happens during the procedure:
- On the day of the surgery, the patient is given general anesthesia, so they are completely asleep during the surgery.
- The surgeon begins by making about 4 to 5 small cuts in the patient’s abdomen, which are used to insert special tools and a tiny camera called a laparoscope to help the surgeon see everything clearly on a screen.
- Next, these incisions are used to access the stomach; the surgeon removes about 75 to 80 percent of the stomach tissue and then seals the remaining edges shut with surgical staples so it resembles a banana-shaped tube.
- The surgeon removes the tools and camera, then closes the incisions using stitches, surgical glue, or small adhesive strips, which will cause some degree of scarring.
- Most patients stay in the hospital for one or two days before going home to start their recovery, which usually takes about four to six weeks.
Irreversible Changes Are Made With Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Gastric sleeve surgery can help many individuals struggling with obesity lose enough weight so that their health improves. It is important that those who are considering this surgery understand the risks and complications that are associated with this operation. Some disadvantages of gastric sleeve surgery that need to be considered include:
1. Gastric Sleeve Makes Permanent Changes To The Stomach
One of the main downsides of gastric sleeve surgery is that the majority of the stomach is surgically removed, and there is no way to rebuild this tissue. People who undergo this surgery must be fully on board with making the permanent lifestyle changes required to lose and maintain a healthy weight.
2. Changes Made During Gastric Sleeve Are Not Reversible
Gastric sleeve surgery can be converted to gastric bypass, which adds additional restrictions to promote greater weight loss, but it cannot be reversed. Once the tissue is cut off the stomach and removed, the modifications are permanent, and patients who experience complications or chronic side effects have few options to find relief.
3. Nutritional Deficiencies Are Possible
When most of the stomach is removed, it forces the individual to eat much smaller meals, which can reduce the amount of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals they are getting each day. To prevent deficiencies of these essentials that your body needs, it becomes necessary to take supplements for the rest of your life. Essentials like iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12, calcium, and folate levels should be monitored and supplemented under a doctor’s supervision to reduce the risk of deficiencies.
4. Complications Are Possible
Like any surgery, the gastric sleeve comes with risks and potential complications. These complications may include leaking at the staple line, bleeding, infection, blood clots, stricture (narrowing of the stomach opening), and one rare but serious issue is when the new, sleeve-shaped stomach twists, creating a blockage and requiring immediate medical attention.
One of the most common complications people develop after gastric sleeve surgery is GERD, or acid reflux. Some patients can reduce their discomfort with medications, but this may not work for others, and they may require additional surgery to alleviate their symptoms. One solution that some patients choose is to undergo a conversion from a gastric sleeve to a gastric bypass surgery.
Is There A Gastric Sleeve Alternative That Works?
Yes! Weight loss treatments have come a long way in the past several years, and today, most people are seeking non-surgical options instead of traditional bariatric surgeries.
One of the newest FDA-approved solutions for weight loss that does not involve surgery is endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), which provides similar results to gastric sleeve surgery without the risks or complications. Non-surgical ESG is an alternative to gastric sleeve surgery that is safe and effective, and includes many benefits.
1. You Can Achieve Comparable Weight Loss Results with Non-Surgical Gastric Sleeve ESG
The ESG procedure is done using an endoscope, which is a flexible tube that has an attached camera and allows access to the stomach for special medical tools to reshape the stomach without needing incisions or surgery. The procedure involves placing sutures from the inside to reduce the stomach’s size and form a sleeve-like shape.
Studies have demonstrated that ESG can result in substantial weight loss that ranges from 50% to 65% of the individual’s excess body weight, which is very similar to the results of gastric sleeve surgery.
2. ESG Is Minimally Invasive
One of the biggest benefits of ESG is that it is a non-surgical procedure that is performed entirely through the mouth and does not involve any abdominal incisions. This eliminates the risks associated with gastric sleeve surgery, like pain after the surgery, infection, and a long recovery time. ESG is an outpatient procedure, so there is no hospital stay, and patients can go home the same day and resume their normal activities within just a few days.
3. Post-ESG Complications and Risks Are Greatly Reduced
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty has significantly lower risks of experiencing complications vs. gastric sleeve surgery – 3% vs 12%.
- Since ESG does not involve surgery, there is a very low risk of infection, bleeding, or leaking;
- Because there are no surgical incisions created, the risk of hernias and other complications involving the abdominal wall is nonexistent;
- ESG is a safer alternative for individuals who may not be good candidates for surgery due to health concerns or higher surgical risks.
4. Recovery Is Fast, and It Leaves No Scars
ESG involves zero incisions and is much easier on the body, meaning the recovery time is much faster compared to gastric sleeve surgery. Patients experience less pain and can resume their regular activities in just a few days, vs. the normal 4 to 6-week recovery required after surgery. Also, the endoscopic ESG leaves no visible scars or marks on the body.
5. ESG Is Reversible
Unlike gastric sleeve surgery, ESG does not make permanent changes to the stomach, and the sutures used during ESG, while strong enough to last indefinitely, can be removed if necessary.
This reversibility is beneficial for patients who may experience adverse side effects, or would like to try alternative treatments, or may wish to adjust the size of their stomach in the future.
What Is The New Alternative To The Gastric Sleeve?
Non-surgical endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is the most recently FDA-approved alternative to traditional bariatric surgery and offers almost identical weight loss potential. It offers many benefits, including being minimally invasive and safe, having no scarring, offering faster recovery times, and being reversible.
Regardless of the technique and procedure used to help an individual lose weight, they will need to make permanent lifestyle changes, such as maintaining healthy eating habits and getting regular exercise, to promote weight loss and maintain their results.
Reveal Weight Loss Can Help You Reach Your Goals
If you desire help losing weight and are considering gastric sleeve surgery, it is important that you understand that there is no way to undo the changes that are made during this permanent surgical procedure.
Contact Reveal Weight Loss to learn more about the non-surgical, safe, effective, and reversible gastric sleeve alternative of endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.
We invite you to check out our patient testimonials and learn about their ESG weight loss experiences. Our team of professionals will create a customized plan that works with your needs and circumstances. Set up a consultation with our team of expert professionals to find out how ESG can help you reach and maintain your weight loss goals.
