Gastric Sleeve Surgery in the Inland Empire

Learn how a sleeve gastrectomy can help you lose weight & improve your health

Gastric sleeve surgery, also called a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, is a popular bariatric surgery procedure that significantly reduces the size of stomach, so that it holds about one-tenth the amount of food it could previously. This effectively causes you to feel full much more quickly and for longer, helping you lose a lot of weight quickly.

Gastric sleeve surgery can be performed as a single operation for weight loss, or it can serve as a first-stage operation several months before gastric bypass, to help severely obese patients improve their health so that gastric bypass can be performed safely.

Benefits of gastric sleeve surgery

• Reduces stomach size to help you feel full after eating small amounts of food
• Patients lose an average of 50% to 80% of excess weight within the first year
• Quicker recovery compared to some other procedures
• Achieves similar goals and outcomes to gastric bypass with reduced risk of some possible complications
• Surgery is performed laparoscopically, reducing risk and minimizing scarring
• Can dramatically improve health conditions such as diabetes, joint problems, and sleep apnea
• Achieves lasting weight loss when accompanied by healthy lifestyle changes. Professional support and nutrition counseling are available to help gastric sleeve patients enjoy maximum success.

The sleeve gastrectomy procedure process

Sleeve gastrectomy is typically performed as an inpatient procedure, using general anesthesia. Our surgeons perform gastric sleeve surgery using a laparoscope, which allows them to complete the operation through several very small incisions in the abdomen. During sleeve gastrectomy surgery, about 80% of the stomach pouch is removed, and your surgeon creates a smaller stomach pouch using surgical staples. This “new” stomach takes the form of a sleeve, and is about the size of a banana. This process will effectively suppress hunger and bring about a gradual, but significant reduction in body weight.

Sleeve gastrectomy surgery takes about 2 hours to perform, and patients require a 1 to 3 day inpatient stay to monitor initial healing. While patients are encouraged to get up and walk around shortly after waking from surgery, most require 1 to 2 weeks away from work and 4 to 6 weeks away from more strenuous activities.

What results can I expect after gastric sleeve surgery?

Weight loss begins after surgery and becomes noticeable in the months that follow. Although each patient’s results will vary, patients typically undergo a 50% to 80% reduction in excess body weight within one year or so after surgery.

Additionally, health problems such as the following may be resolved or improved:

• Diabetes
• Sleep apnea
• Hypertension
• Degenerative joint disease
• Hyperlipidemia
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Are you a candidate for the gastric sleeve in Rancho Cucamonga?

If you’ve been deemed a high-risk patient for other bariatric surgery procedures, your surgeon may recommend the gastric sleeve. In general, patients considered good candidates for this procedure:

• Present a body mass index (BMI) of over 35. Estimate your BMI now »
• Have experienced past failures with traditional weight loss methods
• Have good mental health
• Are committed to making permanent diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes to keep weight off
• Are at least 18 years old

Bariatric surgery represents a major step toward changing your life and overall health. The choice to have bariatric surgery should not be made hastily, but after careful consideration of the risks and benefits involved.

What are the risks of a sleeve gastrectomy?

When performed by a qualified, experienced surgeon, sleeve gastrectomy has an extremely high survival rate (99.8%) and serious complications are rare. However, there are risks and side effects associated with any bariatric surgery. Possible risks and longer-term effects of gastric sleeve procedures include:

• General anesthesia risks
• Staple line leaks, bleeding, or strictures (these may require another procedure to correct)
• Nausea, vomiting or indigestion with certain foods
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Gallstone formation
• Sagging skin resulting from rapid weight loss

You can minimize your risk of complications from gastric sleeve surgery by choosing an experienced, qualified bariatric surgeon. Side effects can be minimized by following your surgeon’s instructions and nutrition specialists’ guidance for eating and activity following gastric sleeve surgery. Cosmetic body contouring surgery can be a good option to address sagging skin or other cosmetic side effects of dramatic weight loss.

Remember, successful weight loss requires a long-term commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Gastric sleeve surgery can help you make those changes by allowing you to achieve a healthy weight quickly.

Gastric sleeve vs Lap band surgery: which is right for me?

If you’ve been considering weight loss surgery, you’re likely already familiar with the more popular weight loss methods such as gastric bypass surgery, gastric sleeve surgery, gastric balloon, and lap band surgery. Lap band surgery in particular continues to be one of the most sought-after weight loss surgeries available today. While many lap band patients are thrilled with their results, some of our patients opt for a gastric sleeve procedure for a few benefits and advantages that gastric sleeve has over lap band surgery:

1. Fewer follow-up visits. Gastric sleeve surgery doesn’t require as many post-op visits. Patients with a busy lifestyle may find that for this reason, the gastric sleeve procedure is a better fit for their schedule.
2. Reduces hunger. The gastric sleeve procedure involves surgically removing a part of the stomach that produces a hunger hormone called grehlin. Patients who undergo this procedure find that they are often less hungry between meals, as well as feel full more quickly.
3. Doesn’t require a foreign implant. Unlike Lap Band surgery, which requires placing an adjustable gastric band around the stomach, the gastric sleeve procedure has no need to place any foreign object around the stomach or intestines. 

Read more: 3 Reasons Why Gastric Sleeve is Better than Lap Band Weight Loss Surgery

Learn more about your weight loss options during a consultation

Your first step towards shedding those stubborn, unwanted pounds for good is booking a consultation with one of our surgeons. At Surgical Arts of Inland Empire, our kind, qualified, and talented weight loss surgeons Dr. Bobby Bhasker Rao and Dr. Irene Tower proudly serve patients in Rancho Cucamonga, Victorville, and the Inland Empire areas. During your consultation, Dr. Bobby or Dr. Tower will sit down with you one-on-one, learn about your experience with diet and exercise, ask about your medical history, hear about your weight loss goals, and discuss which procedure might be the best fit for you to help you get the results you seek.

Schedule your consultation with us today

To learn more about how gastric sleeve surgery or one of our other weight loss procedures can improve your quality of life, contact us online or call our Rancho Cucamonga office at (909) 579-3111 today to schedule a private consultation. Our surgical team as well as our caring, compassionate staff are here to help answer any questions you have about your weight loss procedure options. From your initial consultation, through your procedure process, and beyond—we are here for you throughout the entirety of your weight loss journey.