What is the difference between gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery?

What is the difference between gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery?

At the moment, there are lots of methods for the treatment of obesity as most people are confused and cannot decide on the best solution for their obesity treatment. Gastric sleeve and Gastric bypass surgeries are two most common and successful operations that are performed for the treatment of obesity and losing weight.

But there are some differences between these two procedures. First, before any action, we prefer to explain both of them and mention the similarities and differences between them. As by access to enough information and awareness, you can make a correct decision. In this article we are planning to take a closer look at both surgeries and their advantages and disadvantages.

What is gastric sleeve surgery or sleeve gastrectomy?

If we want to define gastric sleeve shortly, we should say it is a surgical procedure that doctors remove 75-80% of the stomach and finally the stomach is shaped like a small banana. Actually food passes through stomach very fast and moves directly to the duodenum, so nutrients and calories of the food are absorbed naturally. As a result, it's normal not to feel hungry after performing this surgery. By performing this operation the patient can lose weight easily.

• How to overcome constipation after gastric sleeve surgery?

What is gastric bypass surgery?

Gastric bypass surgery is a common technique of bariatric surgery to lose weight. During this surgery, the surgeon makes changes to your stomach and small intestine that is called the Roux limb and its shape is like a Y. By removing most of your stomach and the first part of your small intestine, this small bag is connected to the remaining part of your small intestine until produced acid and digestive enzymes are available there.

This removed part of your stomach absorbs some calories and nutrients. So by gastric bypass surgery, the doctor changes the way of foods absorption and digestion. So after gastric bypass surgery, the patient does not feel hungry and feels full faster by eating a small amount of food.

What are the similarities between gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery?

In both of them, the doctors try to remove a part of your stomach to decrease the amount of food that you eat and feel full to reduce the calories consumption by reduction in Ghrelin hormone secretion. Ghrelin hormone is often termed the hunger hormone and produced in the gut so reduction of Ghrelin leads to lose weight and access to physical fitness. In both of them the patient has to adhere to dietary and intake of some vitamin supplements.

What are the differences between gastric sleeve and gastric bypass?

1- The shapes of stomach after the operations are different. The shape of stomach after gastric sleeve surgery is like a small banana whereas the shape of stomach after gastric bypass is like a small bag. 2- Gastric sleeve surgery is usually performed by laparoscopy that has a camera and the doctors use it for accessing the inside of abdomen without having to make a large incision in skin. Gastric bypass surgery could be performed in two different ways:

• Open surgery
• Laparoscopic surgery

In other words, if the patient cannot perform laparoscopic surgery, she/he can undergo open surgery. 3- Gastric sleeve surgery is not a complicated surgery so if the patient does not have any medical problem, he can discharge the hospital very soon but if the patient suffers from some pain or side effects he has to stay one more day in the hospital. Gastric bypass surgery is so complicated procedure compared with gastric sleeve surgery. The patient has to stay at the hospital for at least 2 days and it is clear if he suffers from some pain or side effects he should stay more. 4-The patient loses 65% of excess weight and fat by gastric sleeve surgery but in gastric bypass surgery, the patient may loses 80% excess weight and fat. 5-Another difference between these two methods includes side effects and complications. For example, in gastric sleeve surgery, patients may complain of stomach acid reflux, leakage of stomach fluids, narrowing along the stomach pouch and a blockage in stomach whereas the most common complication among patients who underwent gastric bypass is an increased risk of nutritional deficiencies due to bypassing a part of small intestine. Other complications include increased sensitivity to alcohol, stomach ulcers, intestinal obstruction or gastric perforation. 6-In the gastric bypass surgery, the patient may loses lots of vitamins and nutrients. So the patients have to intake vitamins and mineral supplements for at least 2 years and do some tests every 6 months.

It is also recommended not to perform gastric bypass surgery for people who use anti-inflammatory medications as it may cause some ulcers. In these cases it is advised to undergo gastric sleeve surgery.

Final recommendation:

We tried to explain two common weight loss surgeries and mention all their advantages and disadvantages to access enough information and awareness. Though it is clear that there might be lots of questions that we cannot answer and explain all of them but there is nothing to be worry. Our medical consultants answer all of your questions with kindness and patience. If your mind is surrounded by a thousand of questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our goal is your pleasure and satisfaction.

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