How is the Stomach Removed in Gastric Sleeve

Stomach sleeve surgery is a relatively simple and less invasive bariatric procedure that will profoundly improve your health and quality of life. But before you make a decision about this life-changing surgery, you should know how is the stomach removed in gastric sleeve? During your pre-op consultation, you should request your surgeon to share gastric sleeve pictures of stomach so that you can see for yourself VSG stomach size before and after the surgery.

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What is stomach sleeve surgery?

Stomach sleeve surgery, alternatively known as gastric sleeve or VSG, is a weight loss procedure designed to help you achieve permanent freedom from obesity. The size and shape of your internal stomach before and after gastric sleeve will be dramatically different. During the procedure, your bariatric surgeon will remove a substantial part of your original stomach tissue and create a new, small sleeve-shaped stomach pouch.

Key characteristics of a stomach sleeve surgery

• Size of stomach after gastric sleeve is reduced to limit eating capacity
• Intestines and the rest of the digestive system remain undisturbed
• Production of hunger hormones is reduced to naturally curb appetite
• You may lose up to 70% of your excess weight within one year
• Stomach sleeve surgery will help reduce or resolve co-morbidities
• Diet control will prevent re-stretching of stomach after gastric sleeve
• Longevity can improve with a reduced gastric sleeve stomach size

How is the stomach removed in gastric sleeve?

• You will be placed under general anesthesia prior to surgery
• Your surgeon will create up to six small incisions in the abdomen
• A tiny video camera and surgical instruments will be inserted
• The stomach before gastric sleeve will be freed from other organs
• A Bougie tube will be used to map the gastric sleeve stomach size
• The surgeon will then use a stapler to bifurcate the stomach
• The new gastric pouch will be created and incisions will be closed

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How much stomach is removed during gastric sleeve?

Nearly 75 to 80% of your original stomach tissue will be removed during your gastric sleeve surgery. When you consult a surgeon about how is stomach removed in gastric sleeve, you should request them to show you pictures of the stomach before and after gastric sleeve. This will give you a fair idea of how the gastric sleeve before and stomach looks like. The stomach size after gastric sleeve will be about 150 to 250 ml in most cases.

Will stomach removal affect abdominal appearance?

Patients are often more concerned about: “How big is my stomach after gastric sleeve?” From an external aesthetic perspective, what does your stomach look like after gastric sleeve surgery is not really different from what it was before the surgery. But as you begin to shed off excess pounds, your abdomen will start looking flatter and firmer. You can expect a desirable, youthful abdominal appearance with post-VSG weight loss.

Can gastric sleeve stomach size be customized?

In a stomach sleeve surgery, what matters is how much stomach volume remains post-operatively. The surgeon will focus on creating the appropriate level of restriction. If too much volume is left behind, sufficient restriction will not occur, and weight loss failure may take place. Excessive restriction can pose risk of under-nutrition. Therefore, how is the stomach removed in gastric sleeve is the surgeon’s decision and may not be customized as the patient wants.

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What happens to the rest of the stomach after gastric sleeve?

The size of the stomach after gastric sleeve will be only about 20 to 25% of the original stomach volume. The shape of the new gastric sleeve pouch will resemble that of a banana. It will take a few days for the internal stomach bruising and swelling to heal after the surgery. Make sure you follow your surgeon’s post-op care guidelines for a safe and rapid recovery.

Reduced capacity to eat and store food

The food storage capacity of your stomach before and after gastric sleeve will be vastly different. The new sleeve pouch after the surgery will be able to store volume equivalent to a small drink. As a result, you will feel full quickly when you eat, and your meal portions will naturally reduce. Moreover, stomach sleeve surgery also changes metabolism and reduces ghrelin hormone production to act as a natural appetite suppressant.

Risk of stomach sleeve re-stretching

The stomach tissue is highly elastic and resilient. Following your stomach sleeve surgery, if you fail to follow your prescribed VSG diet and eat excessively, the new small pouch could re-stretch once again. Therefore, how well you maintain your post-op diet and fitness regimen is as important as how is the stomach removed in gastric sleeve. To minimize your risk of complications, stay committed to your gastric sleeve diet.

READ THIS: How to tell if your pouch is stretched?

How big is the stomach after gastric sleeve

Size of the stomach after gastric sleeve will be only about 20 to 25% of your pre-surgery stomach volume. At your initial consultation, your bariatric surgeon may share gastric sleeve pictures of the stomach to show you how the internal gastric pouch will look post-surgery. How big is the stomach after gastric sleeve can vary between patients due to a number of factors.

• Pre-op stomach size: Patients with obesity do not necessarily have a larger stomach than others. However, the natural anatomy of each individual will vary, and the size of the stomach before and after gastric sleeve may depend on it in some cases.
• Size of the bougie: Your bariatric surgeon will measure your gastric sleeve before and after stomach using a guide called bougie. This is a highly precise measurement, which will serve as one of the key determinants of how big is stomach after gastric sleeve.
• Surgical incision line: How tight or loose is the surgical incision line will influence the amount of tissue tension in your new sleeve-shaped pouch. If the surgeon decides to create a relatively tight line, you will have a smaller sleeve, while a loose line will give you slightly bigger pouch.
• Natural tissue expansion: Some amount of natural tissue expansion will occur, no matter how is the stomach removed in gastric sleeve. While reducing your gastric sleeve stomach size, your surgeon will account for this natural expansion, so you don’t need to worry about minor re-stretching.

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Size of stomach after gastric sleeve

Stomach sleeve surgery is a restrictive procedure, which will substantially reduce your capacity to eat at one time. The size of the stomach after gastric sleeve usually ranges from 150 to 250 ml, which is roughly one-fourth or one-fifth of your pre-surgery stomach. This reduced size will help cut down your meal portions, but it will not adversely impact on your nutrient absorption because no changes to the intestines are involved.

• Gastric sleeve stomach size will depend on a number of factors.
• Your pre-surgery sleeve size will impact the post-surgery size.
• The abdomen will become flatter as you begin to consume less food.
• Surgeon will be guided by your anatomical needs for size reduction.
• Larger bougie indicates less reduction of stomach after gastric sleeve.
• Stomach sleeve surgery may leave a larger pouch than gastric bypass.
• Size of stomach after gastric sleeve is maintainable with strict diet.

RELATED: Gastric sleeve bougie size matter

Stomach before and after gastric sleeve

Stomach before and after gastric sleeve will have a drastically different capacity to store food. Your surgeon will cut away up to 80% of your original stomach tissue, while creating a tubular pouch that will serve as your new stomach. The sphincters at both ends of your original stomach will not be disturbed, the intestines will be left unchanged, and no external implants will be used in this surgery.

Stomach before gastric sleeve

• On average, the pre-op stomach volume may be up to 1 liter or more.
• Patients with obesity usually have a highly stretched stomach tissue.
• Stomach before gastric sleeve may store large amounts of food.
• High production of hunger hormones may occur in this condition.
• Stomach may hold as much as 3 to 4 lbs. of food at one time.

Stomach after gastric sleeve

• The stomach after gastric sleeve will be about 200 ml in volume.
• The stomach will be less distended, less flexible and less stretched.
• Your meal portions will significantly reduced due to smaller pouch.
• Production of ghrelin hormone will result in a limited appetite.
• Stomach may hold only about 12 to 20 oz. of food at one time.

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Gastric sleeve pictures of stomach

Stomach before and after gastric sleeve pictures will serve as a visual aid to help you understand how is the stomach removed in gastric sleeve surgery. A dedicated bariatric surgeon will present these pictures before you at the outset in order to educate you about how this procedure works. Feel free to ask questions from your surgeon while you review these pictures and make a well-informed choice thereafter.

An indirect benefit of gastric sleeve pictures of stomach is that you will obtain some insights into your surgeon’s past track record of performance. Bariatric surgeons with extensive experience in sleeve gastrectomy would be able to show you a large number of stomach sleeve surgery before and after pictures. You may also request for patient testimonials at this time to learn more about their past patients.

How long is stomach swollen after gastric sleeve

Your stomach will be swollen after gastric sleeve for several days or weeks. The swelling and soreness is likely to be more pronounced in the first week, but will progressively subside from the second week. The skills and technique your surgeon applies will make a difference to how is the stomach removed in gastric sleeve, and how long is stomach swollen after gastric sleeve.

• You may have to stay overnight at the hospital if swelling is severe.
• Your surgeon will prescribe medications to reduce stomach swelling.
• Your initial post-op gastric sleeve diet will only include clear liquids.
• Perform short walks to improve blood flow and reduce the swelling.
• Call your surgeon if it takes too long for stomach to heal after VSG.
• Chew well and eat your food slowly to make it easy on the stomach.
• Smoking can extend how long is stomach swollen after gastric sleeve.
• Do not miss follow-up appointments to monitor healing progress.

What side is your stomach on after gastric sleeve

Your stomach is a tissue- and muscle-based organ located on the left side of your abdominal cavity. It is placed between the small intestine and the esophagus, from where it receives food. Digestion of the food occurs in the stomach with the help of natural enzymes and acids that are secreted and the churning of food that occurs with the help of stomach muscles.

Some patients may want to ask their surgeon what side is your stomach on after gastric sleeve. In reality, the placement or position of the stomach will not change after the stomach sleeve surgery. Your surgeon will cut away a major curved portion of the stomach tissue, and staple the remaining stomach vertically to create a small sleeve in the original location.

How long for stomach to heal after gastric sleeve

It will take about six months for your stomach to heal after gastric sleeve. While you may be able to resume your normal routine within a week to 10 days after your stomach sleeve surgery, the complete healing will take more time. At your pre-op consultation, you should ask how long for stomach to heal after gastric sleeve and what steps you may take to expedite healing.

Month 1

Stay confined to the home in the first week and rest adequately. Mild pain and discomfort may occur, which can be managed with pain medications. From the second week, you may return to work, but continue to avoid strenuous activities and exercises which includes moving bags of cement or playing basketball.

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Month 2~3

Gradually increase your daily physical activities and fitness regimen. The stomachs sleeve surgery incisions will no longer be tender, but do not indulge in heavy lifting, contact sports or highly vigorous exercises. Follow your post-op VSG diet diligently.

Month 4~6

The most important factor in your full healing will be how your stomach is removed in gastric sleeve. At this stage, stomach swelling would have largely dissipated and healing would be complete. Focus on a lean protein diet to strengthen your stomach tissue. Eating an abundance of donuts and chips – not so smart.