Gastric sleeve surgery is a very common type of weight-loss surgery and a major, life-changing procedure. Among other types of weight-loss surgery, gastric sleeve is collectively known as bariatric surgery since they surgical changes to your stomach and digestive system that limit the amount of food you can eat and how many nutrients you absorb, leading to weight loss.
As appealing this weight-loss surgery may sound, gastric sleeve surgery like any other surgery has significant health risks and side effects. In addition, the long-term success of gastric bypass surgery depends on your ability to make permanent changes in your diet and lifestyle. If you want to be considered for gastric bypass surgery, you must undergo a thorough evaluation to determine whether it’s suitable for your situation.
Gastric sleeve or any weight-loss surgery may be an option for you if:
You’re at least 80 lbs. (36 kg) overweight
Your body mass index (BMI) is 40 or higher
Your BMI is 35 or more and you have a serious weight-related health
Your efforts to lose weight with diet and exercise have been unsuccessful
You have type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or severe sleep apnea
You’re between 18 and 75 years old
You’re unable to achieve a healthy body weight for a sustained period of time, even though in a medical supervised diet.
Thoroughly understand that the surgery is only a tool and that a long-term success requires you to make a significant diet and lifestyle changes
In some cases, you may qualify for certain types of weight-loss surgery if your BMI is 30 to 34 and you have serious weight-related health problems.
Are you ready for gastric sleeve surgery?
The following are considerations for gastric sleeve surgery by the multidisciplinary healthcare team:
While weight-loss surgery could help you reduce your risk of weight-related health problems (like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea) it can also pose major risks and complications. For that reason, you need to meet certain medical guidelines to qualify for weight-loss surgery. Keep in mind that even if you meet these general guidelines, you will still have an extensive screening process to know if you qualify.
You will follow an assessed process by a multidisciplinary group of health professionals (usually includes a doctor, nutritionist, psychologist, and surgeon) who evaluates if a gastric sleeve or any other forms of weight-loss surgery are appropriate for you. This evaluation helps us determine whether the health benefits of the surgery outweigh potential risks and if you’re medically ready to undergo the procedure.
The evaluation will also determine if you are psychologically ready to undergo weight-loss surgery. The procedure may increase certain risks in people with existing mental health conditions that are not effectively managed.
Characteristics that may disqualify you from having gastric sleeve surgery include:
Low body mass index (not being heavy enough)
Under 18 years old
Limited past diet attempts
Current pregnancy
Current infection
Severe heart or lung disease
Substance abuse
inflammatory disease or condition of the gastrointestinal tract, such as ulcers, severe esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagus, or Crohn’s disease
Abnormal esophagus, stomach, or intestine
Cirrhosis
Chronic pancreatitis
Hypertension
Not willing to follow a long-term diet, vitamin, or exercise regimen
Autoimmune connective tissue disease
On chronic, long-term steroid treatment
Major mental health issues
Uncontrolled or untreated psychiatric disorder
Suicide attempt in the last 18 months or multiple attempts within the last 5 years
If you think bariatric surgery can help you loose weight, keep in mind that there’s more than one type of surgery. Gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, among others are options, but your physician can help determine if you’re a candidate, and if so, which procedure will work best for you.
