Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Patients at Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber who are interested in weight loss surgery have two options: gastric bypass surgery or gastric sleeve surgery.

A vertical sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric sleeve surgery, is a procedure that decreases your stomach size by removing approximately 2/3 of the stomach. The remaining stomach is a tubular pouch or “sleeve” that resembles a banana. The smaller stomach significantly limits the amount of food that can be eaten at one time, which helps you to feel fuller sooner.

A gastric sleeve can be also be used as a first step for individuals who may not yet be eligible for gastric bypass surgery. The vertical sleeve gastrectomy procedure is an option to help you start losing weight. After a few years, most people lose enough weight to complete the second step of the process.

The procedure is usually performed laparoscopically using minimally invasive surgical techniques.

Potential Advantages

• Restricts the amount of food the stomach can hold
• Favorable changes in gut hormones resulting in
  • Suppressed hunger
  • Reduced appetite
  • Improve satiety (feeling of fullness)
• Less risk of malabsorption and fewer vitamin deficiencies
• Decreased risk of dumping syndrome (when food passes through the system too fast resulting in severe cramping, nausea, sweats, diarrhea, etc.)
• No long-term medical device to be implanted in your body
• No adjustments
• No bypass or re-routing of the intestinal tract

Potential Disadvantages

• Slower weight loss than Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
• Staple line leaks
• Stricture or narrowing of sleeve
• Non-reversible procedure

Do you have questions about gastric sleeve surgery? Please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are ready to help you begin your weight loss journey today! Call 814-467-3653 or email windbersurgery@windbercare.org.