The prevalence of obesity is seen in most developed countries with one third of the adult population in the United States are obese. Aside from dieting and exercises, one of the options for people who have high body mass index (BMI) who want to lose weight is bariatric surgery. Several types of this procedure have been done to obese patients, with Gastric Sleeve surgery, being one of the newest types.
Also referred to as Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, this is a procedure wherein the left side of the stomach is removed to reduce its size with a tube-like sleeve retained. This aims to make an individual feel fuller when eating, thus there will be lesser urge to eat more. The result will be weight loss. Although it can be done with open surgery, a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is preferred.
However, just like any procedure, there are potential risks to take to heart. Despite the pros of this weight loss surgery, there are also cons to be considered.
List of Pros of Gastric Sleeve Surgery
1. This procedure is safer since patients can opt to have laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy.
Proponents claim that this form of bariatric surgery has lesser complications. It is minimally invasive and as opposed to other types like Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB), no foreign object is retained in the stomach.
2. After the procedure, the patient will not be deprived from eating food that he or she is normally eating.
People who are for this type of surgery maintains that an individual who underwent this procedure will still be able to eat what he or she wants and still lose weight since food will be eaten in smaller portions. Losing weight is still achievable without compromising food choices.
3. It is recommended for highly obese people who are not candidates for gastric bypass.
List of Cons of Gastric Sleeve Surgery
1. It is irreversible and has a possibility to leak.
Part of the procedure is stapling the part of the stomach that has been removed. Critics say that this might cause problems if leaks happen. Also, it cannot be undone unlike gastric banding. Another setback pointed out is the nature of the stomach to stretch. With wrong eating habits, one can regain the lost weight once the stomach returns to its previous size.
2. There is a possibility of suffering from lack of proper nutrition.
If a patient will not be careful, chances are, he or she will have problems with nutrition. This can be brought about by not being able to absorb nutrients and vitamins with the reduction of the stomach size. Medical experts also mention about possible infection of the site of incision in some cases.
Conclusion
Contentions about gastric sleeve surgery and its efficacy remain to be a controversial issue. Both supporters and critics have views that are worth looking into. In the end, reaching the right decision will depend on weighing the pros and cons. If the positive effects outweigh the negative, then undergoing sleeve gastrectomy might change one’s life for the better.