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Gastric Sleeve

 Gastric Sleeve | Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

At Advanced Laparoscopic Associates, you will enjoy the expertise and care of highly qualified, board certified surgeons. Serving New Jersey, New York, and surrounding areas, we are committed to focused and personalized care to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

What is a Gastric Sleeve?

The most commonly performed laparoscopic bariatric procedure is called gastric sleeve. Bariatric sleeve surgery, or vertical sleeve gastrectomy, involves surgically narrowing the stomach. It is an innovative new surgical solution for people who are morbidly obese, defined as having a body mass index over 40, or 35 if you have weight-related conditions.

In this procedure, approximately 80 to 90 percent of the rounded, larger part of the stomach is removed so that the remaining part of the stomach takes the shape of a tube or sleeve. The tube-shaped stomach is sealed closed with staples or sutures. The remaining stomach is permanently reduced to a fraction (10 to 20 percent) of its original size.

After Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery

In the right hands, this is a very safe procedure. Our results are consistently the best in New Jersey and rank among the very top in the country. Most patients lose 60 percent or more of their extra weight. As a result of this weight loss, many patients achieve greatly improved health following their gastric sleeve procedure.

Benefits

  • Long-term weight loss solution
  • Feel full after smaller portions
  • Normal digestion and absorption
  • Performed by board certified surgeons
  • Minimally invasive laparoscopy
  • No need for protein supplements

The Sleeve Advantage

One major advantage of sleeve gastrectomy is that it also removes stomach cells that produce the hunger hormone, ghrelin. By drastically reducing ghrelin production, the patient’s appetite and sensation of hunger is reduced.

Other advantages:

  • No intestinal bypass or foreign body required
  • No adjustments needed
  • Weight loss equal to or better than bypass or band
  • Safest for patients over 400 pounds
  • Leaves intestinal tract intact
  • Allows normal stomach function

Robotic Sleeve Gastrectomy

At Advanced Laparoscopic Associates, we are able to perform robotic gastric sleeve surgery. Our state-of-the-art surgical robot enables our surgeons to perform finer hand movements and see the area of operation better than without the tool.

Our surgical robot has four arms, three of which can manipulate surgical tools. The last is a high-definition camera that gives our surgeons a picture-perfect, 3-D view of the abdominal cavity. The surgeon sits at a console and controls the robot, which is capable of far more precise movements and a much greater range of motion than a human.

In studies comparing robotic sleeve gastrectomy to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, the two procedures had similar costs, similar lengths of operation and similar recovery times. However, some studies suggested robotic sleeve gastrectomies had much lower rates of post-surgical complications.

Gastric Sleeve Recovery

  • Surgery takes approximately one to two hours to perform.
  • On average, our patients leave the hospital one to two days after gastric sleeve surgery.
  • Return to work varies from one to three weeks, depending on the type of work.
  • No heavy lifting (more than 10lbs) is allowed for four to six weeks after surgery.

Gastric Sleeve Diet: Post op Care & Follow-up

  • You will have the support of our dedicated team of medical professionals who will work with you on nutrition, exercise, psychological, and physical therapy needs both before surgery and for the long-term.
  • Patients will be on a clear liquid diet for the first 2 weeks immediately following gastric sleeve surgery and then advance to a pureed diet for one week. These foods will be very soft so as to pass through the small, newly formed pouch. The third week consists of soft solid foods.
  • At six months after the surgery, most patients will be on their long-term maintenance diet, which is more or less what and how they will eat for the rest of their lives. The maintenance gastric sleeve diet for the most part consists of regular table foods, but in small portions. Patients describe their meals as child-sized, and they often do not finish what they are served. Generally become comfortable eating these small meals and almost always say the loss of the ability to enjoy large meals or certain foods is more than compensated for by being able to successfully control their weight.
  • Patients may expect to lose approximately 60 percent of their excess body weight during the first two years following surgery.
  • Many co-morbid conditions, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obstructive sleep apnea, resolve after having the gastric sleeve procedure. Additionally, patients experienced resolution rates for gastric sleeve that are similar to resolution rates for other restrictive procedures such as gastric banding.
  • As with all medical procedures, there can be potential risks of unforeseen, unknown, or adverse reactions. Please discuss your questions and expectations about the gastric sleeve surgery with us so that we can evaluate the benefits versus any possible risks.

For additional information, all prospective patients are invited to attend a free educational seminar.
Seminars are a great source of information about the procedure you are considering, and they allow you to meet the surgeons as well as ask any questions you may have. You may also have the opportunity to meet some post-operative patients.

Seminar Sign-up

Call (201) 646-1121 today and schedule your consultation with one of our surgeons!

 

Or use our online Request an Appointment form.

 

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