Northwest Medical Center is excited to offer the Sleeve Gastrectomy, also referred to as gastric sleeve surgery, to weight loss patients in Tucson and Southern Arizona. By reducing the capacity of the stomach and the portion of the stomach that controls hunger, our patients have seen positive weight loss results from this procedure.
How Sleeve Gastrectomy Works
During the gastric sleeve surgery, we create a long, narrow tube by dividing the stomach vertically with a reinforced triple row of staples. This leaves approximately 15% of the stomach as a tube or sleeve while the remainder of the stomach is separated and removed.
The removed portion of stomach is responsible for secreting the hormone ghrelin which stimulates hunger. Because ghrelin secretion falls to nearly zero following the procedure, appetite and feelings of hunger reduce significantly.
After the gastric sleeve surgery, quantities of food that can be eaten are reduced substantially as the newly created stomach tube can only hold between two and four ounces. With this capacity of less than half a cup of food at a time, calorie intake decreases and weight loss occurs.
The stomach tube also slows the emptying of the stomach because of greater resistance to movement created by the walls of the narrow tube. Slower passage of food through the stomach means the patient feels full for a longer period of time.
Gastric Sleeve patients normally experience weight loss similar to Gastric Bypass patients and may have up to 55 to 60% excess weight lost during the first year after surgery.
The stomach retains normal function because the valves that control filling and emptying are left intact.
