Single Incision Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Through the use of modern technology, surgeons have achieved a way to perform gastric sleeve surgery and other weight loss surgeries with just a single incision. Sleeve gastrectomy is a surgical procedure used to help a patient lose a large amount of weight. Gastric sleeve procedures are a common weight loss surgical procedure that restricts the amount of food consumed at one sitting while also helping the patients will less hunger throughout the day. This in turn will aid weight loss. It is fast becoming a popular surgical procedure to help treat morbid obesity.

Who is a candidate for this weight loss surgery?

Single Incision Laparoscopic Sleeve Surgery

Typically patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or lower are encouraged to have this procedure. Also, most surgeons do not want patients who have had more than 2 previous surgeries. Typically surgery is only performed on individuals 18 to 65. The patient itself must be able to handle the physical stress of having surgery. Surgery includes a series of lifestyle changes that can be stressful for some patients. It is important that a doctor helps a patient understand that the surgery is just a portion of changes one must make in order to lose weight, keep the weight off and to live a healthy life.

How does it work?

Typically, a gastric sleeve surgery is performed laparoscopically between five to seven incisions. However with the advancement of SPIDER surgery or similar surgical machine, a bariatric surgeon can now make one small incision (often hidden inside the belly button) to complete the same procedure.

A trocar is placed into the upper abdomen so the surgeons can move the liver (it’s important to note that while there is one incision to do the procedure, there is almost always another to move the liver so the procedure can be done successfully: one study found that a second incision was required about 14% of the time). This minimally-invasive procedure may encourage more people to endure it as well as help to reduce the amount of recovery time and the chance for infection.

A surgeon opens up the belly button using this spider piece so that a camera can be inserted as well as other important instruments used during the procedure. During this procedure, a surgeon will free up a portion of the patient’s stomach and seal and divide blood vessels leading into the stomach that is now removed. The stomach is then stapled and divided into a sleeve. This portion is later removed from the body through the same small incision used. After it is removed and all the instruments are removed, the small incision is closed. The procedure itself takes about 90 minutes and patients typically go home two days after surgery.

The stomach is typically reduced from 20-30% of its original size. The patient has a tube-shaped stomach that helps to reduce the sensation of hunger and removes a portion of the stomach that creates that hunger hormone.

Advantages of Single Incision Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Most patients instantly see rapid, significant weight loss similar to that of more invasive surgeries such as gastric bypass or gastric banding. This is often because of the reduction of the stomach volume and the inability to eat the same portion sizes prior to surgery. Gastric reduction helps make the patient feel full after a much smaller amount of food, which aids weight loss.

In terms of aesthetics, this procedure is most popular. There is minimal or less obvious scarring on the body. Recovery time also is much shorter then more invasive surgery. Surgeons suggest that patients of this single incision procedure had less pain then the alternative; they also lost more weight and were back to their daily routine faster than any other procedure.

References:

• Single-Incision Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002018/