What is Gastric Sleeve?

Gastric sleeve surgery is the most commonly performed bariatric procedure in the United States. It involves the removal of 75 to 80 percent of the stomach and joining the remaining portions together to make a banana-sized stomach or “sleeve.”

With a smaller stomach (it will be about 1/10th of the size of the original stomach), you will feel full quicker than you did before. Plus, the procedure removes part of the stomach that makes the hormones that boost your appetite. This also helps in weight loss.

How much weight you can lose with gastric sleeve?

It really depends, but in general gastric sleeve surgery patients lose about 60 to 70 percent of their excess weight. Most people can reach their lowest weight 12 to 24 months after surgery.

Although the success rate of gastric sleeve is about 80 to 90 percent, it is still just a tool for helping you lose weight. Dr. Robert Williams and the team at New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery stress that to successfully achieve weight loss, you have to do your part. This simply means following your eating and exercise program after your bariatric procedure.

Gastric sleeve can also improve obesity-related health issues

Gastric sleeve doesn’t just lead to weight loss. Large clinical trials and studies have also shown that it can also improve many obesity-related issues such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea, high blood cholesterol, and fatty liver disease.

Coverage and qualifications for gastric sleeve

Most insurance companies cover bariatric surgery if you meet the following criteria:

• BMI of greater than 40 OR
• BMI of at least 35 with one obesity-related condition (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, high blood cholesterol)
• Failure to achieve significant weight loss even with medically-supervised eating program

Benefits of gastric sleeve

Compared to gastric bypass surgery, gastric sleeve is a simpler procedure. It takes about 40 to 70 minutes for the procedure to be completed, compared to the 2 to 3 hours with gastric bypass.

There is also a lower chance of nutrient and vitamin deficiency with gastric sleeve. And unlike other bariatric procedures, the chances of having bowel obstruction, marginal ulcer, and internal hernias is rare with gastric sleeve.

Are you ready for a healthier, fitter you?

Our team at New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery in Knoxville can help. Our very first step is attending or viewing our FREE info seminar, which you can attend either in-person or watch online. It will give you more information about bariatric surgery and this can help you make a more informed decision.

To sign up for either seminar option, visit our Info Sessions webpage at
https://www.newlifebariatricsurgery.com/info-sessions/. Questions? Call New Life Bariatric at (865) 694-9676.

New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery is part of Premier Surgical Bariatrics in Knoxville, Tennessee. New Life is affiliated with the Parkwest Center for Bariatric Surgery, part of Covenant Health Bariatric Services.