There are several types of weight loss surgery, including Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, known as lap band surgery. All three surgeries have the same objective: to help you lose weight by reducing the amount of food that you can consume at one time.
Choosing the right surgery for you depends on several things, including your medical history and goals. At the Lake Health Bariatric Surgery Center, you and Dr. Aviv Ben-Meir, a Lake Health board-certified general surgeon fellowship trained in bariatric surgery, will choose the weight loss option that is right for you. Here’s what to expect during a laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy:
What is laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy?
To perform this surgery, Dr. Ben-Meir removes 80% to 85% of the stomach. He does this with a small video camera and small surgical instruments that he inserts inside the abdomen through five small incisions, each of which are one-quarter to one-half inch long. After the procedure, the stomach will be one inch in diameter and five to six inches long, creating a “sleeve” of stomach that can hold one-half to one cup of food. The laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy does not involve any intestinal surgery, and nothing is placed in or around the stomach. Patients are simply left with a sleeve of stomach that helps them feel full with less food.
What are the risks of laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy?
Every surgery poses possible risks and complications. With laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy, those risks include:
- Leaks
- Pulmonary embolism
- Leg clots
- Bleeding.
These are serious complications, so choosing your surgeon is important. During your consultation, Dr. Ben-Meir will review his many years of experience performing thousands of sleeve gastrectomies and his personal complication rate.
What are the benefits of laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy?
Weight loss surgery can improve or put into remission many health issues, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Patients also experience what Dr. Ben-Meir and his team call non-scale victories, such as being able to tie their shoes or not needing a seatbelt extender on an airplane.
Take the first step
Weight loss is a journey that starts with a single step. If you’re ready to take the first step, sign up for our on-demand webinar to “meet” Dr. Ben-Meir and to learn more about weight loss surgery and the Lake Health Bariatric Surgery Center.
Watch our private online webinar. It’s free and on-demand.
