Sleeve Gastrectomy

Who is it for?

A sleeve may be right for you if you are an adult and one of the following applies:

• Your body mass index (BMI) is 35 or more, with or without health problems linked to your weight.
• Your BMI is between 30 and 35, and you have a health problem linked to your weight, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea (pauses in breathing during sleep), wear and tear of the joints (osteoarthritis), high cholesterol, or fatty liver.
• Your BMI is between 30 and 35, and diet and medicines have not kept the weight off.

BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared. For example, 110 kg at 1.70 m gives a BMI of 38.

A sleeve is usually not the best choice if you already have strong acid reflux (heartburn) or a condition called Barrett’s esophagus. A gastric bypass often suits you better. Dr. Ahmed will help you decide at your consultation.

How is it performed?

• You are fully asleep under general anesthesia. The operation is done by laparoscopy (keyhole surgery) through 4 to 5 small cuts and takes about 30 to 45 minutes.
• A soft guide tube is passed through your mouth into your stomach. It works like a ruler, so the new stomach has the same width all the way along.
• A special stapler divides the stomach along the guide tube, and about three-quarters of the stomach is removed.
• The Identical Sleeve technique: With every firing of the stapler, Dr. Ahmed lines up the front and back walls of the stomach exactly. This keeps the sleeve straight, with no twist. A twisted sleeve can partly block the stomach and cause vomiting, food sticking, and heartburn.
• Before the operation ends, the line of staples is tested to make sure it is fully sealed.

Before surgery

• A full check-up: blood tests, an abdominal ultrasound, an upper endoscopy (a camera test of the stomach), and a visit with the anesthesia doctor.
• A session with our dietitian. If your BMI is very high (over 60), you will also follow a low-calorie diet for 1 to 2 weeks before surgery. This shrinks the liver and makes the operation safer.
• If you smoke, stop at least 4 to 6 weeks before surgery. Smoking slows healing and raises the risk of problems.
• Tell us about all your medicines, especially for diabetes, blood pressure, and blood thinning. Some will need adjusting.
• Your recovery starts here. Our Fast Track program prepares you before surgery and continues during and after it, so you get back on your feet sooner.

Recovery and follow-up

• You will walk within a few hours of surgery and start sipping water on the first day. Most patients go home after one night.
• Your diet moves in steps over about six weeks: clear fluids, full fluids, puréed food, soft food, and finally healthy normal meals in small portions.
• Most people return to work after the first week. Walking is encouraged from the first day, and heavy workouts can start after 4 to 6 weeks.
• You will take vitamins every day for life: a multivitamin, plus vitamin B12, iron, calcium, and vitamin D as advised. Blood tests at 3, 6, and 12 months, then once a year, make sure your levels stay healthy. For the first 6 months, you will also take a medicine that protects you from gallstones.
• Follow-up visits are at 1 week, 1 month, 3, 6, and 12 months, then twice a year, in the clinic or by video consultation.

What results can I expect?

Most patients lose around 70% of their extra weight over the first 12 to 18 months. Health problems linked to weight, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and joint pain, often improve or go away. The operation is a strong tool, but lasting results depend on the habits you build: eating well, staying active, and keeping your follow-up visits.

Conditions That May Improve

1. Morbid Obesity
2. High Cholesterol
3. Type 2 Diabetes
4. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
5. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
6. Fatty Liver Disease

What are the risks?

Every operation carries some risk, and we will explain yours at your consultation. The main risks are:

• A leak from the line of staples. This is very rare today, thanks to advanced staplers and the surgeon’s experience. If it happens, it shows within the first 7 to 10 days after surgery.
• Bleeding, in about 1 in 100 patients. It usually settles with close monitoring and treatment, without another operation.
• Narrowing or twisting of the sleeve, which the Identical Sleeve technique is designed to prevent.
• New or worse heartburn (reflux). Some patients need long-term medicine, and a few later need a gastric bypass.
• Blood clots in the legs or lungs. Walking early and blood-thinning injections lower this risk.
• Gallstones. Fast weight loss and drinking too little water can cause them, and without prevention, about 25–30% of patients develop them. A protective medicine we prescribe for the first 6 months lowers this to about 5%, close to the usual rate in the general population.
• Vitamin shortages, if supplements are stopped.
• Some weight regain after several years. Regular follow-up with our nutrition team is the best way to prevent it.

Why Choose Our Sleeve Gastrectomy Program?

• Experienced bariatric surgeons
• Advanced laparoscopic surgical techniques
• Personalized treatment plans
• Comprehensive nutritional and lifestyle support
• Modern surgical facilities
• Multidisciplinary approach to obesity care