Risks of Gastric Sleeve Surgery:Restrictive gastric sleeve surgery – overview of possible risks
In contrast to the gastric bypass, the majority of the organ is surgically removed with the gastric sleeve surgical method. A sleeve stomach with a small capacity is formed from a small remainder. This form of intervention is irreversible. Therefore, you should be aware of the possible risks of this surgical method.
Risks During Surgery
Due to the usually overloaded cardiovascular system, the risk of anesthesia and the occurrence of infections and bleeding can also be increased. In addition, there are additional risks due to being very overweight. On one hand, because of the obesity, but also because of the mostly existing fatty liver, access to the stomach is difficult for the surgeon. On the other hand, there is also the risk that the process will injure neighboring organs, vessels and nerves.
The mortality rate during and after surgery is slightly increased in obese patients. To minimize risk, a liquid, protein-rich crash diet is often carried out preoperatively in order to reduce inner abdominal fat and liver volume.
Risks After Gastric Sleeve Surgery
In addition to the general surgical risks, such as the risk of postoperative bleeding or thrombosis, unhealthy eating habits and the continued intake of excessive amounts of food can lead to an expansion of the esophagus and the gastric sleeve. Digestive problems such as heartburn, abdominal pain and a feeling of fullness can occur. It becomes dangerous when the surgical suture stretches to the point of tearing open.
The result is gastric perforation, which is a serious complication. Another risk factor after gastric sleeve surgery is malabsorption due to the lack of gastric mucosa, which can lead to undesirable metabolic disorders. In order to prevent this, you have to take substitution preparations such as calcium and various vitamin preparations for the rest of your life, which the health insurance companies usually do not reimburse.
But the risk of mental illness can also be increased by switching to the new, mostly unfamiliar diet with a significantly reduced amount of food and calories. This is especially true if you already had an eating disorder before the operation. In order to prevent secondary diseases, a consistent and usually lifelong follow-up treatment should be carried out after the gastric sleeve operation. This ideally includes nutritional advice including a change in diet and appropriate exercise therapy with psychotherapeutic support.
