If you are considering bariatric surgery to help you lose weight and improve your health, you may be wondering how gastric sleeve vs. gastric bypass compares or which may be the right choice for you.
Today, we are going to look at the difference between gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery, including what they involve, the pros and cons of each, the results you can expect, and what kind of recovery time you will need to be prepared for.
How Is Gastric Sleeve vs. Gastric Bypass Surgery Performed?
These days, bariatric surgery is most often performed using a special medical tool called a laparoscope, which is inserted through four or five small incisions created on the abdomen, rather than through “open” surgery, which uses one much longer incision.
The laparoscope allows the surgeon to access the stomach and digestive system and use special surgical tools to make alterations that will promote weight loss while being guided by the tiny onboard camera, which is streaming live video to a nearby monitor.
Performing a gastric sleeve or gastric bypass through laparoscopic surgery significantly lowers your risk of experiencing complications, and it significantly reduces your recovery time compared to traditional bariatric surgery.
Who Is a Candidate for Gastric Sleeve vs. Gastric Bypass Surgery?
Patients must meet certain criteria before they would be considered eligible to undergo either gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery. It is common for the bariatric surgeon and the medical insurance provider to have different types of criteria that must be met before the patient can undergo surgery. The most basic criteria include:
- The individual must have a BMI (body mass index) of 40 or higher, or
- They must have a BMI of at least 35 and also have a weight-related metabolic condition like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, etc.
Your surgeon will review your medical history, your current health, your weight, and your specific circumstances to determine which option (gastric sleeve vs. gastric bypass) would be the best solution for you. Gastric bypass may be a better solution for someone who is severely obese because it normally leads to more significant weight loss. Gastric sleeve is a suitable option for many people, but may not be the best choice if they already have issues with acid reflux, because it may become worse after the surgery.
A Comparison of Gastric Sleeve vs. Gastric Bypass
Gastric Sleeve Surgery Overview
During gastric sleeve surgery, about 80% of the patient’s stomach is cut away and permanently removed. The portion that remains is reshaped into a thin tube, and the edges are surgically stapled together to form a small pouch. There are no other changes made to the digestive system.
Gastric sleeve surgery helps you lose weight by restricting the amount of food you can eat at one time and slowing down how fast you digest your food, so your stomach stays full for longer, and you do not get hungry as often and feel the need to eat.
- Required Preparation Before Gastric Sleeve Surgery
- Patients are normally required to follow a special diet that helps to shrink their liver, which can last different lengths of time depending on their circumstances. This liver-shrinking diet is then followed by an all-liquid diet that prepares them to undergo surgery safely. Patients are not allowed to eat or drink anything for 12 hours before their scheduled time of surgery.
- Average Time in Surgery
- It normally takes around ninety minutes to complete gastric sleeve surgery.
- Average Recovery Time
- It takes most people between four and six weeks to fully recover from gastric sleeve surgery.
- Average Expected Weight Loss After Gastric Sleeve
- Most individuals lose between 60% and 70% of their excess body weight in a year to 18 months. Excess body weight is the difference between how much the patient currently weighs and their “goal” weight (the weight that is considered healthy for their frame). For example, a patient who started their weight loss journey at 300 pounds with a goal weight of 140 pounds would be carrying 160 pounds of excess weight. If this patient lost 60% of their excess weight, they would have lost 96 pounds, and their current weight would be down to 204 pounds.
Gastric Bypass Surgery Overview
Gastric bypass surgery also involves reducing the usable capacity of the stomach, but it is done in a different way. The patient’s stomach is divided using surgical staples into two unequal sections, with one section representing only about 25% of the stomach’s original size, which will now act as the patient’s new stomach. Next, a portion of their intestine is rerouted to skip a significant portion of the digestion process, which prevents your body from absorbing all the calories. Gastric bypass helps you lose weight because your smaller stomach restricts your portion sizes, and some of the food you ingest is not fully absorbed and used by your body.
- Required Preparation Before Gastric Bypass Surgery
- The preparation process before undergoing gastric bypass surgery is almost exactly the same as for the gastric sleeve, but the duration of their special diets may be longer. Many patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery are severely obese, and it may take longer to shrink their liver or get their body ready for surgery.
- Average Time in Surgery
- It takes the surgeon an average of two hours and forty-five minutes to complete a gastric bypass.
- Average Recovery Time
- It can take anywhere from four to eight weeks to recover from gastric bypass surgery, depending on the circumstances.
- Average Expected Weight Loss After Gastric Bypass
- Most patients lose between 65% and 80% of their excess body weight in 12 to 18 months. Using the same example as we did for the gastric sleeve, a person with a starting weight of 300 pounds and a goal weight of 140 could potentially lose between 104 and 128 pounds. Their final weight could range anywhere from 196 pounds to 172 pounds, and it is likely that this significant weight loss will improve or eliminate chronic metabolic issues they may have.
Gastric Sleeve vs. Gastric Bypass Pros and Cons
Surgery of any kind has its risks as well as advantages and disadvantages, so you should have a good understanding of what you might encounter so you can consider them along with the benefits the surgery will provide. Here is a simple chart with an overview of the gastric sleeve vs. gastric bypass pros and cons, as well as possible complications.
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Which Is Better, Sleeve or Gastric Bypass?
The answer to the question of whether the gastric sleeve is better than the gastric bypass is hard to answer because it comes down to which one will work best for the patient and their situation. Weight loss is different for everyone, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution that will help you achieve sustainable weight loss. The form of medical intervention that will work best for you will be based on a thorough evaluation of your exact needs and circumstances.
The doctors and their teams of experts at the Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery Institute (LESI) will assess your current health and your specific weight loss goals and can create a plan that will work for you and your lifestyle. If surgery is the best option for you, one of our knowledgeable team members will talk with you about the procedure and answer any questions you may have. You may be a good candidate for non-surgical weight loss, like an intragastric balloon, and they will be happy to explain this option as well.
When Comparing Gastric Sleeve vs. Gastric Bypass, Keep In Mind the Following
- Gastric bypass surgery is more involved and invasive, but also offers a higher weight loss potential.
- Patients with extreme weight-related metabolic issues need to lose larger amounts of weight and might be a better fit for gastric bypass surgery.
- Individuals who already have a hard time with acid reflux (GERD) would do better having a gastric bypass vs. a gastric sleeve because gastric sleeve surgery can exacerbate this condition.
- Gastric sleeve surgery is a shorter surgery and may be a better fit for individuals who are at higher risk, have issues with being under general anesthesia, or have had other abdominal surgeries, and may have scar tissue that may inhibit rerouting their intestines during a gastric bypass.
- Gastric bypass can alter the way your body absorbs certain medications and may not be the best surgery for individuals who depend on these to control conditions like psychiatric illness, etc.
- When comparing the cost of gastric sleeve vs. gastric bypass, you need to take into account any wages that will be lost while you are recovering or additional expenses that are related to any extra help you may need while your body heals. (childcare, pet care, household help, yard work, etc.)
Your surgeon can help you decide which surgery or weight loss solution will be the best for your needs and goals.
Where Can I Learn More About Gastric Sleeve vs. Gastric Bypass, and Which Is Right for Me?
If you are struggling to maintain a healthy weight or are suffering from obesity, the experts at Laparoscopic & Endoscopic Surgery Institute in Alpharetta, Ga, offer many different options for medical intervention that can help you get your weight under control and improve your health.
Our expertly skilled surgeons and support team understand that each individual is different and that their bodies can react differently to weight loss strategies. They can answer your questions about different weight loss procedures and work with you to create a plan that is tailored to meet your exact needs to help you reach your goals for improved health through weight loss. Set up your consultation today to learn more and start your journey to better health!
