Weight loss surgery is a safe and effective way to help you reach your health goals. If you’re considering weight loss surgery, it’s important to know your options. At Advanced Laparoscopic Associates (ALA), we are proud to provide both gastric sleeve and gastric bypass procedures as an option to our patients who are on a weight loss journey.

Here’s what you need to know about gastric sleeve vs gastric bypass.

What Is a Gastric Sleeve?

A gastric sleeve is also known as a sleeve gastrectomy. This type of weight loss surgery, which is the most common laparoscopic bariatric surgery, helps you lose weight by reducing the size of your stomach. During the surgery, your surgeon will reduce the size of your stomach by 80 to 90 percent, leaving your stomach in the shape of a narrow sleeve. With a smaller stomach, you will feel less hungry, and you will also feel full faster and eat less food. The reduction in daily calorie intake helps you lose weight.

What Is a Gastric Bypass?

A gastric bypass is also known as a “Roux-en-Y” surgery. This type of weight loss surgery helps you lose weight by greatly reducing the size of your stomach and reducing the amount of food that you can absorb. During this laparoscopic surgery, your surgeon will create a small pouch for your stomach and reattach it to a new place in your intestines, thereby “bypassing” the lower part of your stomach and the first part of your intestines. With a much smaller stomach and a repositioning of your digestive flow, you will feel full sooner (and for longer) and also absorb fewer calories from your food.

Comparing Gastric Sleeve vs Gastric Bypass

If you are considering a gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery, it’s important to understand the following similarities and differences between the two:

• Both surgeries are considered irreversible.
• A gastric sleeve procedure generally produces less weight loss than a gastric bypass procedure (60 percent of body weight, on average, versus 75 percent).
• A gastric sleeve procedure does not alter the pathway of your digestive tract; it simply reduces the size of your stomach.
• In a gastric bypass procedure, you’re not only altering the volume of your stomach but also the way your body absorbs food, which can lead to issues with malnutrition. This is why lifelong supplements are usually required after a gastric bypass.

Choosing Which Weight Loss Surgery Is Right for You

When you’re deciding between a gastric sleeve or gastric bypass, it’s important to speak with your medical and surgical teams to discuss your weight loss goals. Ultimately, the decision should be based on your personal health history and preferences, as well as what your team thinks will be the safest and most effective option.

To learn more about minimally invasive bariatric surgery options, contact us at ALA today.