Gastric sleeve surgery is the new kid on the block of weight loss surgery. Gastric sleeve surgery is normally done before a patient can receive gastric bypass surgery. This is done because the patient is not in good enough health to undergo gastric bypass surgery. This surgery is also for patients who have found that gastric banding is not an option for them.

Before surgery: Before surgery the patient will have had several evaluations. These evaluations will have been done by a variety of people ranging from a bariatric doctor to a bariatric nutritionist and a psychologist. The surgery is not reversible. Patients will have to alter their lifestyle before surgery as well, for example they should stop smoking.

During surgery: During surgery, a bariatric surgeon will remove more than half, about sixty percent of the patient’s stomach. The stomach then becomes more shaped like a tube or a sleeve, hence the name of the surgery. The stomach that is left is secured closed with staples.

After surgery: If a significant amount of weight is lost, the patient will then be eligible for gastric bypass surgery. This is called having a “staged” approach to weight loss surgery, and gastric sleeve surgery is just one of those stages. The next surgery can occur anywhere from six to 18 months after the initial gastric sleeve surgery.

Other facts:

This procedure is really meant for those who are morbidly obese, who have a BMI above 60 or who are not in proper health to receive gastric bypass surgery.

Costs:

Gastric sleeve cost can be around $10,000. The surgery is still considered experimental. It’s very likely it is not covered by insurance. But the costs are radically different in other countries, making an entire industry called medical tourism. Other weight loss surgeries like lap band surgery abroad and other weight loss surgeries are much cheaper there.