Monday, July 25, 2016

Important Information On Gastric Sleeve Surgery Houston Patients Need To Have

By Jessica Wood


There are many options that can be used in losing weight. One of the methods that has gained a lot of popularity in recent times is weight-loss surgery. Examples of surgical procedures that may be conducted include sleeve gastrectomy, bypass surgery and gastric banding. Each of these procedures has associated advantages and disadvantages. If they have plans of having gastric sleeve surgery Houston patients need to understand a number of things.

Sleeve gastrectomy may be used on its own or as part of the bypass procedure. The procedure itself involves the removal of a significant part of the stomach. The organ is first split along its length, the unwanted part removed and the remainder repaired using stitches or staples. Generally, the part that is removed is between 75% and 80% leaving behind a small tubular structure that can hold a limited amount of food.

The idea of the operation just as is the case with most weight loss operations is to limit the amount of food that the individual undergoing it can eat. The small stomach volume results in faster filling and stimulation of early satiety. Additionally, the removal of a significant stomach portion influences the production of digestive enzymes. The resultant changes suppress the appetite and maintain a high blood glucose levels.

The outcomes of this operations are quite impressive for most people. For instance, it has been shown that up to 50% of body weight can be shed off in a matter of months. This is comparable to the results of gastric bypass but without the unwanted side effects. This operation is also advantageous in that the nerves that supply the stomach are preserved and the function of stomach valve mechanisms remain intact.

The two techniques that can be used when performing sleeve gastrectomy are the open surgical technique and laparoscopy. Laparoscopy has turned out to be the more popular option. Most of its advantages are due to the use of smaller surgical incisions as compared to those that are made when an open surgical operation is done. The benefits include less pain, a lower risk of infections and faster recovery among others.

A potential candidate for this operation is an individual who has tried losing weight through lifestyle changes but has been unsuccessful. They should ideally have a body mass index of more than 40. If they are already suffering from obesity-related complications such as cardiac disease, sleep apnea and hypertension, a lower value of the index is acceptable. There should be no major risks to this operation.

Some potential complications to this operation exist. Some are complications that may be seen with any surgical operation while others are specific of this operation. The general complications include injury to other organs, excessive blood loss and infections. More specific complications include leakage of digested food, gradual stomach dilatation and esophageal spasms. The procedure cannot be reversed even when complications set in.

If you are considering bariatric surgery as a weight loss option, there several options that you can choose from. These include gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and banding. Surgeon preference and the magnitude of your problem are some of the factors likely to influence your decision. The gastrectomy procedure is quite effective but has huge disadvantage in that it cannot be reversed.




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