Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG)? – drfuadahmed

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What is Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG)?

LSG is one of the newer forms of obesity management surgeries (bariatric surgeries), and is currently the most popular option performed on a daily basis all around the world. It involves removing about 80% of your stomach, converting the traditional sac shape into a small “sleeve” – hence the name – which makes your stomach smaller so that you eat less. The removed part of the stomach is also responsible for releasing the hormone called “Ghrelin” which makes you feel hungry, so when that part is removed, your feeling of hunger is greatly reduced.

What Does “Laparoscopic” mean?

A laparoscopic approach to surgery means using 3 tiny incisions to do the surgery (two 5 mm in length, and one 12 mm in length), as opposed to the regular approach where a large incision is made in your abdomen. The surgeon would use a specialized thin long telescope to which a camera is connected known as the Laparoscope together with some very small surgical instruments to reach the surgical area without opening up your belly too much. This means less scarring as most of these incisions are hidden, less pain during the post-operative recovery period, and fewer surgical complications. It is the approach of choice for most bariatric surgeries.

Do I Need LSG surgery?

Bariatric surgeries are indicated for people with extreme obesity who have failed to lose weight using a diet and regular exercise. Obesity is identified by using a metric known as the body mass index (BMI) which is the ratio of your weight to your height. A BMI of over 30 is considered obese, 35 to 39 is considered severe obesity, while over 40 is considered morbid obesity, where your weight would art to affect your health. LSG in particular is indicated for people whose BMI is over 60, where other bariatric surgeries are considered unsafe. Once the BMI is lowered below 50, your surgeon may suggest another obesity management surgery such as the gastric bypass.
LSG not only helps you reduce weight but can also help control some metabolic disorders that originated from being overweight such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea, etc. LSG is also considered a safe option for people suffering from some medical conditions such as heart, lung and liver problems since it carries the least possibility of side effects compared to other forms of bariatric surgeries.

How is LSG Done?

Once you’re anesthetized, the surgeon will use the laparoscope with the small surgical instruments to remove the upward-curving part of your stomach known as the Fundus, converting its shape to a long, banana-sized tube in the shape of the sleeve of your shirt, which is where the procedure gets its name. The entire process takes around 2 hours, and you’ll probably remain in the hospital for a day or 2.

Life After LSG

LSG effects work very rapidly. In fact, most people who undergo this surgery end up losing 40 to 50% of their body weight in under 2 years. While that may be great news for those of your looking to lose weight, it also comes with a few restrictions to your lifestyle afterward. Therefore, we recommend you follow the following steps to minimize risks and gain the most out of your procedure:
· The rapid drop in body weight can sometimes cause a few unwanted but completely expected side effects during the first 6 months of surgery. These include body aches, hair loss, mood changes, dry skin, and constantly feeling tired. All you need to do is support yourself both physically and mentally, and know this is a temporary phase that will pass very soon.
· For 2 weeks after the surgery, you would be limited to a liquid diet, and would gradually transition to pureed food, soft food, and then regular food in about 1 month. Do not rush the process of returning to hard foods so as not to risk nausea and vomiting.
· Eat very slowly and chew your food very well, since your smaller stomach does not have the same capacity for digestion as it used to.
· A smaller stomach means consuming less food and therefore less intake of nutrients. This means 2 things:
o You’ll have to take multivitamins to meet your daily requirements as prescribed by your doctor.
o You would need to do blood tests every 3 months to make sure you don’t suffer from anemia or vitamin deficiency.
· Between 5 and 10 years after the surgery, it is possible you would start gaining back some of the weight you lost. To avoid that, make sure you follow a proper diet designed specifically for your case and keep exercising regularly.
· To avoid muscle wasting (which means weakening of your muscles due to loss of muscle fibers), you would need to not only take protein supplements, but specialized exercise to make sure you keep your muscle mass and strength.

Some Other Life Changes to Consider

LSG and other bariatric surgeries affect every aspect of your life, so you would need to change some of your lifestyle choices to cope with the effects of the procedure. These include smoking, drinking alcohol, and some medications such as ibuprofen, Voltaren and Aspirin which will all need to be used with moderation.
In addition, not only will you change physically, but it can be hard for some people to cope mentally with the changes of the procedure, especially with the visible signs such as hair loss and dry skin as we mentioned before. Should you feel overwhelmed at any point, there is absolutely no shame in seeking help whether professional or through support groups, family, and friends.

Is LSG the Only Option for Weight Loss?

As we mentioned, LSG is the most common and most popular form of bariatric surgery nowadays. However, there are other bariatric surgeries to choose from which can be better for your case. Make sure to ask your surgeon about laparoscopic gastric banding, mini gastric bypass, roux-en-Y gastric bypass, or laparoscopic transit bipartition

If you need any more information about the procedure or the follow-up aftercare period,
feel free to contact our team anytime

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