The sleeve gastrectomy, or “gastric sleeve”, is a cutting-edge surgical procedure in which a majority of the stomach is removed to suppress the appetite and restrict food intake. Thanks to today’s advanced laparoscopic techniques, the sleeve gastrectomy can usually be performed as an outpatient procedure without major incisions, minimizing the risk of complications and side effects and leading to less discomfort and less downtime than other forms of weight loss surgery.
In other words, the sleeve gastrectomy can be truly transformative, effecting significant and rapid weight loss and the amelioration of many obesity-related health concerns!
Dr. Wiljon Beltre, Board certified surgeon at The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery, offers the sleeve gastrectomy as part of a comprehensive self-pay program designed to ensure that this incredible weight loss procedure is available to everyone who needs it! Located in Altamonte Springs, Florida, next door to vacation hotspot Orlando, the fully-accredited Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery is both convenient to get to and significantly safer than unknown foreign clinics. By choosing the gastric sleeve with Dr. Beltre at The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery, you are choosing the highest level of patient care and satisfaction as you pursue your weight loss and health-related goals.
Weight Loss Benefits of the Sleeve Gastrectomy
The sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric sleeve, helps facilitate rapid and significant weight loss in two critical ways:
- Depressing the appetite: By removing a portion of the stomach called the fundus, the procedure reduces the body’s ability to produce ghelin, a hormone that controls appetite. This has the benefit of drastically reducing how much you want to eat!
- Limiting food intake: At only about 30% of its original size, the post-operative stomach holds only about 10% of what the original stomach could hold at any one time. So you are simply not able to eat as much as before the procedure!
Health Benefits of the Sleeve Gastrectomy
Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, and most critically type 2 diabetes are just a few of the obesity-related health problems that seem to respond very favorably to the sleeve gastrectomy. Unfortunately, despite being linked to obesity, many of these problems fail to respond to diet-induced weight loss. Yet all of these serious health concerns, along with others, have been shown to diminish significantly immediately after the gastric sleeve procedure for many patients. While the exact mechanism governing the link between the gastric sleeve procedure and the amelioration of these health concerns is not known, it is believed to be linked to the suppression of several gut hormones, including peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PPY), incretins, and ghelin.
The Gastric Sleeve Procedure
For most patients, the sleeve gastrectomy can be performed as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia. Thanks to today’s advanced laparoscopic techniques, the surgery itself usually takes less than two hours; in addition to reducing recovery times, many patients experience less discomfort, less long-term scarring, and fewer post-operative complications. In fact, today’s sleeve gastrectomy is statistically as safe as any other routine surgical procedure.
However, it is important to understand that all surgery, including weight loss surgery, entails risk. During your preliminary appointments, we will review these risks with you to be sure you fully understand them, as well as provide specific instructions to you relating to your procedure. It is critical that you follow these pre- and post-operative instructions exactly.
The sleeve gastrectomy involves permanently removing approximately 70% of the stomach. The remaining stomach tissue resembles a vertical, banana-shaped “sleeve” between the esophagus and the small intestine. Unlike other weight loss surgery options, this procedure does not bypass part of the intestine and the remaining stomach sleeve continues to process food normally. However, the post-operative stomach can only hold approximately 10% of what the original stomach could hold, usually between 50 and 150ml of food.
The procedure is performed with an advanced laparoscopic technique involving only 5-6 small incisions in the abdomen. Trochars, or small pen-shaped tubes, are inserted through these incisions. A video camera is inserted through one trochar, while surgical instruments are inserted through the others. This technique enables the surgeon to make precise surgical alterations to the stomach without large-scale abdominal incisions. The result is a safer, highly-effective form of weight loss surgery that can truly transform your health and your overall well-being.
Contact The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery
Board certified surgeon Dr. Wiljon Beltre at The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery in Altamonte Springs, Florida (neighboring Orlando, FL) has made it his life’s passion to help individuals like you achieve their weight loss goals safely and successfully. Whether you have come from central Florida or traveled half-way—or even all the way—across the country, our goal is offer a weight loss surgery option that is as safe, as effective, and as affordable as we can possibly make it.
Significant, long-term, successful weight loss is not easy. Even with the help of metabolic surgery, losing the weight and keeping it off requires a life-long commitment to serious lifestyle changes and hard work. But with the help of Dr. Beltre and our dedicated team of caring, experienced specialists, success is possible!
If you believe a sleeve gastrectomy is right for you, or would like to learn more about other metabolic surgery options available at The Center for Metabolic and Obesity Surgery, we encourage you to contact our office to start the process today!
Call 407-830-6868 or Click Here to schedule a phone or video consultation with Dr. Beltre.
