Post-Surgery Weight Regain: Sleeve Gastrectomy



sharma-obesity-verticalsleevegastrectomyContinuing in my discussion of factors that can promote weight regain after bariatric surgery, discussed in our systematic review published in Obesity Surgery, I now turn to the technical or anatomical issues specific to sleeve gastrectomy.

As sleeve gastrectomies have only been performed as a stand-alone procedure for about 5 years, data on weight recidivism is rather limited.

However, there are studies and case reports to suggest that the remnant stomach or sleeve may expand over time and that the size of the gastric sleeve is related to weight loss and possibly weight regain.

How and why the sleeve expands and how exactly such expansion affects satiety and the mode of action of this type of surgery remains unclear and will require further study.

However, weight recidivism after sleeve gastrectomy should prompt appropriate investigations to rule out sleeve dilation (upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, radiographic upper gastrointestinal series) and a large remnant sleeve may require surgical correction or conversion of this procedure to a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

@DrSharma
Edmonton, AB

ResearchBlogging.org
Karmali S, Brar B, Shi X, Sharma AM, de Gara C, & Birch DW (2013). Weight Recidivism Post-Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review. Obesity surgery PMID: 23996349