The gastric sleeve is for those who have struggled with obesity, and dieting and exercise alone has not been an effective measure to lose excess body weight. The gastric sleeve is also great for individuals who are constantly hungry. Research has shown that ghrelin is reduced, a hunger-stimulating hormone making it a bit more manageable to lose weight by further decreasing the hunger sensation. The typical criteria for qualification of the gastric sleeve:

• You are 18 or Older
• You BMI (body mass index) is 40 or More
• Your BMI is 35 or more AND have a serious weight-related health problem such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high cholesterol or other obesity-related co-morbidity
• You are more than 100 lbs. over your ideal body weight.

Note that some bariatric surgeons may have additional or completely different eligibility criteria. For example, some surgeons may perform the surgery on lower BMI individuals, younger individuals, or may not perform gastric sleeve altogether on certain individuals who are over a certain age. In addition to your surgeon, your insurance may also have specific eligibility criteria, such as a six-month supervised diet, which can differ from insurance to insurance company. It is always best to schedule an appointment to see a bariatric surgeon to see if the gastric sleeve is the best weight loss procedure for you. Also, when choosing a gastric sleeve surgeon, make sure that they have a comprehensive bariatric surgery program with a multidisciplinary team to ensure you lose the weight and keep it off long term.

The benefit of the gastric sleeve is that it has moderate risk compared to higher risk bariatric procedures such as SIPS, duodenal switch, and gastric bypass surgeries that are common for individuals with morbid obesity. The sleeve also features significant weight loss comparable to other procedures while also curbing hunger as it interferes with your hunger hormone called ghrelin. Thus, this is why it has been very popular for individuals who are constantly hungry. Overall, the weight loss resulting from the sleeve helps improve one’s quality of life. According to long term study of the gastric sleeve, excess weight loss of 60-70% has been recorded by the end of the first year of surgery. Excess weight loss that results from having gastric sleeve surgery has been shown to improve several comorbidities. Here is a list of disorders that are caused or made worse by obesity:

• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Blindness
• DVT (deep vein thrombosis)
• Depressions
• Diabetes
• Dyslipidemia
• GERD and Acid Reflux
• Gallstones
• Gout
• Hypertension
• Hypoventilation
• Infertility
• Intertrigo
• Ischemic Heart Disease
• Kidney Disease
• Lower back paint
• Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
• Obstetric complications
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Sleep apnea
• Some Cancers
• Stroke
• Urinary incontinence
• Various cancers

This procedure is done most of the time endoscopically. It does not reroute your digestive tract or involve having foreign objects implanted in your body as other surgical weight loss options have. You also don’t have to deal with adjustments or band fills as you do with the gastric band. Also, dumping syndrome is not common with the gastric sleeve like it is with other procedures such as gastric bypass. Insurance may also cover this bariatric procedure which can lower the overall cost of the surgery. It is best to contact your insurance company or employer to see if you have bariatric coverage. We make it easy to check if you have bariatric coverage. Verify your bariatric insurance benefits online. 

Thousands of our patients have seen a positive impact in their lives.