There are a variety of bariatric procedures that are designed to help patients address their specific health concerns and lose weight. The LIMARP® International Center of Excellence for Obesity in Tijuana, Mexico successfully performs multiple types of bariatric surgery in the context of our integrative bariatric program. The type of procedure selected for you will depend on your specific case, individual needs, and weight loss goals. Dr. Liza María Pompa González has performed thousands of bariatric surgeries and she and her surgical team are highly experienced in each type of procedure.
Once our team determines that you are a candidate for bariatric surgery, we can determine the most effective type of surgery for you.
Bariatric surgery is a serious procedure, with the potential to change your life.
Our multidisciplinary team will do both physical and psychological evaluations to determine your possibility of undergoing surgery.
One of those surgeries may be the gastric sleeve and if our team determines that it’s the best option for you, they will prepare you for what happens before and after the procedure. This article will mainly focus on what the gastric sleeve is, its cost, and how it’s different from a lap band. We’d like to highlight that the following information is general and that the case for each patient may vary significantly; for more detailed information and personal assistance, contact us and our team of doctors will be happy to answer any questions or doubts.
The Gastric Sleeve
The gastric sleeve procedure, also known as a gastrectomy, is a restrictive bariatric surgery that significantly reduces the size of your stomach and your appetite to encourage weight loss. It is an uncomplicated procedure with a shorter recovery time than others. A gastrectomy physically restricts the amount of food you can eat by reducing the size of your stomach. It is a restrictive surgery that also limits the production of ghrelin, which contributes to a reduction in appetite. This allows patients to feel satisfied with less food and helps them with portion control if it was recommended to them by a licensed dietitian.
According to the latest global registry of the International Federation for the Surgery for Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO), gastric sleeve surgery is by far the most requested and practiced bariatric surgery worldwide. Out of all the bariatric surgeries that are practiced around the world, roughly 59% account for a gastrectomy, and almost all of them are done with laparoscopic techniques. This is the bariatric procedure for which experts have the most data and the most register of outcomes and results in long term follow-ups. It is also the most standardized procedure in the bariatric community. It’s been largely documented that complications due to gastric sleeve surgery are very low, and that it provides good control and great benefits over comorbidities associated with obesity.
How is the Gastric Sleeve Performed?
Gastric sleeve surgery is carried out as follows. The surgeon inserts a laparoscopic camera through the belly to monitor the operation, then they insert a lean and long stapler through other incisions in the abdomen to staple the stomach vertically. This process divides the stomach into two parts: the bigger part, roughly 80%, which will be completely removed from the body, and the smaller part which will remain, in a much smaller shape, resembling a sleeve. A gastrectomy is considered a restrictive procedure because what it achieves is that it restricts the size of the stomach, preventing it from obtaining big portions of food. This procedure does not interfere with the absorption of nutrients, though, because it does not involve any alteration to the digestive process, as it leaves the intestines intact.
The recovery from a gastrectomy is faster than other bariatric procedures. Patients may expect a post-operative stay of 1 to 2 days in the hospital’s recovery room, as well as a mandatory rest for four to six weeks. During the first weeks of recovery, the patient should follow a strict only-liquids diet, which will progressively move to purees and solids.
The amount of weight loss patients can expect after a gastric sleeve procedure depends on many factors, such as the patient’s body mass index (BMI) before surgery, their commitment to maintain healthy habits, and the time that has passed after the gastrectomy. But one can expect to notice major changes in weight loss as soon as 6 months and as long as 3 years. The patient can then maintain his or her weight with diet, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle.
Bariatric medicine studies report very different weight loss results; however, evidence shows that the range oscillates between 50 and 70% of excess weight loss, which represents the difference between your ideal weight and your initial weight before surgery.
The latest IFCO report states that the average body weight loss, one year after gastric sleeve surgery, is 31%.
Patients that suffer comorbidities associated with obesity can also expect a significant improvement in their symptoms. In some cases, patients can achieve the resolution of their illnesses. According to a systematic review and meta-analysis of gastric sleeve outcomes, 100% of patients reach a resolution for their hyperlipidemia, 50% do for hypertension, and 66% for type 2 diabetes at five years after the surgery.
The Difference Between Gastric Sleeve Surgery and the Lap Band
While the goal of losing weight is shared by most patients who undergo any type of bariatric surgery, the procedure may vary according to their needs or condition. For this part of the article, we will discuss the differences between gastric sleeve surgery and the lap band.
To begin, a lap band consists of an adjustable band that’s wrapped around the top portion of the stomach, leaving only a small section that can hold food. In gastric sleeve surgery, weight loss doctors remove up to 80% of the stomach, creating a smaller, sleeve-shaped stomach. Another difference is that the lap band surgery is reversible, while a gastrectomy is not. Once a portion of the stomach is removed, it can never be replaced. When extreme weight loss is desired, gastric sleeve surgery can also be combined with a gastric bypass. Gastric bypass surgery alone has been shown to provide huge success, including an 80% resolution in diabetes and more than 90% resolution of sleep apnea. Combined with gastric sleeve surgery, the positive effects can be huge.
The qualifications[1] are also different, since they’re more intensive when it comes to the gastrectomy. Patients with a BMI of 30 or higher can be approved for lap band surgery. On the other hand, in order to qualify for a gastrectomy, patients must be diagnosed as “morbidly obese.” To meet these more intensive gastrectomy qualifications, patients must have a BMI of at least 40 and also suffer from one serious obesity-related health problem.
In both cases, these medical weight loss solutions are recommended for patients whose health is at risk from obesity, but only after other weight loss methods have failed. When patients need to lose large amounts of weight to alleviate serious health conditions, doctors may recommend gastric sleeve surgery rather than the alternatives.
Cost and Financing for a Gastrectomy
When analyzing costs and options, please keep in mind that quality and safety have a price, and even though LIMARP® is a competitive clinic, we spare no expense when it comes to the safety of our patients. Medical tourists that travel to Mexico may expect to save 50 to 80% of the price they would have paid for the same medical services in their home country, especially when it comes to surgeries like the gastrectomy. The same applies for medication and counseling. Let us assure you that the low price of medical services in Mexico does not translate to poor service nor poor results. You will be getting the same, if not superior results and, most of all, you will be receiving the best customer/patient experience there is. Surgeons, medical professionals, and nurses provide their services with human touch, empathy and the legitimate concern to fulfill your every need.
Our treatments at LIMARP® may be covered by your American or Canadian medical insurance, although this mostly depends on your insurance’s policy. Many medical insurances cover the cost of bariatric surgery interventions since they have been recognized as safe and effective treatments for obesity that improve the general health condition and life quality of obese patients. One of the many surgeries covered by most medical insurances is the gastrectomy, but if for some reason you’re unable to use it, we also provide other options so that the surgery is affordable to you.
Contact Us to Learn More
If you want to learn more about the gastrectomy, schedule an appointment with one of our doctors. We can help determine the right treatment for you. Contact us online anytime or give us a call at (619) 373-0229.
References
[1] “The Huge Difference Between Lap Band and Gastric Sleeve Qualifications”. https://www.mydestinationweightloss.com/blogs/the-huge-difference-between-lap-band-and-gastric-sleeve-qualifications. (Accessed November 20, 2022).