Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgery is a popular way to trim down weight fast. It is a weight loss surgery option that reduces the size of your stomach to limit your food intake. This type of bariatric surgery is an effective option in which Dr. Choi removes about 85% of the stomach. With only a small portion of your stomach remaining, you will eat less because you feel satisfied with smaller amounts of food.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

As a result, many patients see a weight loss of 50 to 70 percent of their excess body weight after surgery.*

Sleeve gastrectomy is useful for those who are struggling with severe obesity or are obese and suffering from an obesity-related disease such as type 2 diabetes or hypertension.

How Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery Works

During a sleeve gastrectomy procedure, the part of the stomach that is removed is the part that is linked to appetite and hunger. This part of the stomach is largely responsible for producing the hormone ghrelin, which, when released, alerts your brain to eat for satiety. With the reduced stomach size and the decreased levels of ghrelin, you will feel full faster and stay satisfied longer. This, and the proper lifestyle changes after surgery, leads to weight loss.

How it’s done:

  • First, Dr. Choi will make several small incisions in your abdomen.
  • A small camera will be inserted through one of the incisions, allowing your doctor to see the interior of your abdomen through a television monitor.
  • Thin surgical instruments will then be inserted through the remaining incisions to perform the surgery.
  • Dr. Choi then removes a large part of your stomach, sealing the remaining portions with surgical staples.
  • Your remaining stomach will be shaped like a narrow tube.

A sleeve gastrectomy procedure generally only lasts about 45 to 60 minutes and may require you to stay overnight after your surgery.

Benefits of Bariatric Gastric Sleeve Surgery

  • Minimal scarring
  • Short hospital stay
  • No rerouting of intestines
  • Eliminates the portion of the stomach that stimulates hunger
  • Doesn’t introduce a band or foreign object into the body

Sleeve gastrectomy can also improve some of the commonly known serious health conditions including:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Sleep apnea
  • Heart disease

Types of Sleeve Gastrectomy

There are two types of sleeve gastrectomy options, traditional and laparoscopic. In terms of safety and effectiveness, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy accomplishes the same goals as the traditional sleeve gastrectomy procedure. Typically, when surgical procedures are modified in the services of making them more minimally invasive, they may lose some degree of effectiveness, or force the surgeon to take a different path to accomplish the goals of the procedure. 

However, Dr. Choi is able to achieve the same results, and perform the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy at the same high level of success as the countless traditional gastric sleeve procedures that he has performed.

Traditional Vs. Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy 

The main difference between the traditional sleeve and the laparoscopic gastric sleeve is that the advanced, compact laparoscopic tools allow Dr. Choi to perform the procedure with minimal scarring. With the laparoscopic approach, each incision is only three millimeters long, and with four entry points needed to perform the procedure, the end result is four tiny scars no bigger than a freckle. Compared to the much more visible scars made by more common five or ten millimeter incisions, patients enjoy the ability the feel comfortable in their own skin knowing that they do not have any readily visible scars.

A Less Invasive Weight Loss Journey

Additionally, because the laparoscopic approach uses tools that are much more compact and space-efficient than traditional tools, the laparoscopic gastric sleeve involves a lesser impact on the tissues around the surgery site. This means that patients can experience quicker recovery times, and a decreased risk of infection. 

Although the laparoscopic method is less invasive, it is still important that those seeking a laparoscopic gastric sleeve in Fort Lauderdale go to an experienced surgeon like Dr. Choi who has experience performing both traditional and newer sleeve gastrectomy procedures.

Advancements in weight loss procedures in Fort Lauderdale and beyond have come a long way in the past few years. The sleeve gastrectomy has become the most popular procedure in the country over the last 10 years due to the following reasons. 

  • Offers better weight loss results compared to the Lap Band procedure, while carrying fewer risks as compared to the gastric bypass. 
  • It does not only decreases the capacity of the stomach, but also decreases production of the hormone ghrelin, which is responsible for many of the hunger cravings that drive us to eat. 

Now, with the laparoscopic approach, patients can get these incredible benefits with less scarring, a quicker recovery, and less risk of infection.

Determining if Sleeve Gastrectomy is Right for You

Sleeve gastrectomy does not require rerouting of your digestive system or foreign objects to be introduced to your body. Because a portion of your stomach is removed, sleeve gastrectomy is a permanent procedure, unlike LAP-BAND which can be adjusted and/or removed.  Many people find the inability to reverse sleeve gastrectomy to be appealing and select this surgery because of this.

If you are struggling with obesity, sleeve gastrectomy may be your appropriate weight loss option. Dr. Choi with an office in Fort Lauderdale, FL., can provide you with a professional, safe and effective weight loss procedure. One that is unique to your lifestyle and your specific needs.