Supportive Weight Loss

After bariatric surgery, committing to leading a healthier lifestyle, including consistent physical activity and a nutritious diet, is essential. At Las Vegas Bariatrics, our medical team has redefined surgical weight loss by offering safe and beneficial procedures and a lifetime of support to make the journey to wellness positive, successful, and rewarding.

What is Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

A sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive procedure that creates a smaller stomach pouch, limiting the amount of food eaten at a time. You feel full sooner and stay full longer. As you eat less food, your body will stop storing excess calories and use its fat supply for energy. By removing a part of the stomach, we remove an area where a portion of the hunger hormone (ghrelin) exists for a naturally decreased appetite. The procedure takes one to two hours to complete.

What Should I Expect?

Gastric sleeve surgery has a significant impact on the sensation of hunger. There are receptors in the stomach for the hunger hormone ghrelin. Ghrelin alerts us by sending signals to the brain to tell us when to eat. Sleeve gastrectomy removes some of the receptors for ghrelin for a dramatically reduced appetite. We are advocates for the health and wellness of our patients and for them to reap the rewards of long-term success.

Gastric sleeve surgery effectively responds to many health conditions that may have developed due to obesity. This includes:

  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Breathing problems

Quite a few programs, seminars, and informational resources are at your fingertips. All you have to do is ask our dedicated staff. Las Vegas Bariatrics does more than surgery – we strive to ensure that your weight loss success lasts a lifetime.

What is the recovery Process Like?

After your gastric sleeve surgery in Las Vegas or Spring Valley, the incision on your abdomen may be sensitive for several weeks. Although maintaining a healthy exercise routine is crucial for a healthy lifestyle, you will want to avoid strenuous activities throughout your recovery. Instead, go for a walk every day and, as you recover, increase the distance you walk. Additionally, you should also:

  • Avoid drinking carbonated beverages or using a straw when drinking
  • Eat smaller portions of food
  • Consume foods that are softer or moist
  • Make sure you get plenty of rest
  • Keep the incision area clean and dry

Everyone’s recovery process will vary, but most need to take one week off from work for those with less physically vigorous occupations. If you have prescription pain medicine, take them exactly as prescribed.

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Gastric Sleeve Frequently Asked Questions

Is gastric sleeve surgery right for me?

How long will the surgery take?

How is it different from gastric band or bypass?

Is there any maintenance?

How long is the stay in the hospital?

When can I return to work?

Is gastric sleeve surgery right for me?

Sleeve gastrectomy is low maintenance with fewer long-term overall problems. The procedure offers a high degree of success, fast weight loss, and a low rate of side effects.

How long will the surgery take?

It’s a 30 to 45-minute procedure. This is a same-day surgery; you can return home to rest and recover several hours after your procedure.

How is it different from gastric band or bypass?

In gastric bypass, no foreign items are placed in your system, as is necessary with the gastric band. The intestine is not rerouted as in gastric bypass surgery, with the normal digestive tract left intact.

Is there any maintenance?

No maintenance, only follow-up with your surgeon and dietitian, along with guidance from our team to ensure you gain the full benefits of the procedure – and a happier, healthier life.

How long is the stay in the hospital?

This is typically an outpatient surgery or may involve one overnight stay.

When can I return to work?

You will need one week off before returning to work. You should be up and walking in just a few hours following your surgery.

The Truth About Lap Band Surgery

Once one of the most commonly performed bariatric surgeries, lap band surgery has seen a significant national decline over the past eight years. In 2011, lap band surgeries comprised approximately 35% of procedures performed.

By 2015, that number dropped to under 6%. Long-term research, combined with increasing numbers of complications resulting from the procedure, has contributed to the decline of the once popular gastric band procedure. A growing number of patients reported medical problems resulting from the procedure, which forced them to undergo an additional operation to fix, replace, or remove the band.

Studies have also shown that:

  • Lap band surgery does not create the physiological changes that help patients lose weight and maintain a healthier weight over time
  • Patients feel the same level of hunger but are unable to eat the same amount of food, which has led to significant discomfort
  • Patients also reported extreme discomfort after eating certain foods, which led them to consume higher-calorie foods to avoid pain
  • Research has also found that lap band patients lose significantly less weight than patients who undergo other procedures, such as gastric bypass or gastric sleeve
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Why Phase Out Lap Band Surgery?

Through lap band surgery, an adjustable band is placed around the upper portion of the stomach to create a smaller pouch that helps to restrict the amount of food the stomach can hold and consequently limits the amount of food a person eats. When the procedure was first introduced, it seemed to provide a safe and effective option for weight loss surgery. Not only was the procedure reversible, but it also did not involve cutting the stomach, nor did it affect the intestines. However, more patients have reported medical complications requiring additional surgeries over the years.

A Better Alternative

Las Vegas Bariatrics Offers Sleeve Gastrectomy as a Better Alternative to Lap Band Surgery.

At Las Vegas Bariatrics, we are committed to providing patients with excellence in bariatric surgery and services. Our mission to redefine surgical weight loss compels us to offer exclusively surgical procedures and programs that will be beneficial, safe, and effective for our patients. As such, Las Vegas Bariatrics no longer performs laparoscopic gastric band procedures, commonly known as lap band surgery. Instead, the doctors offer patients the minimally invasive gastric sleeve procedure.

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Why Choose Us?

Dr. Bernie Hanna, Dr. Morgan Pomeranz, and Dr. Punam Patel offer many effective alternatives to lap band surgery at their Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery in Las Vegas. Our commitment to excellence in providing only the safest and most effective weight loss surgery solutions is why we only offer the best options for our patients. We want you to feel confident that you receive the care and attention you deserve when you visit our office. Schedule a meeting with our friendly, supportive team to learn more about our gastric sleeve surgery in Las Vegas and Spring Valley. When you become our patient, we will support you in all the years ahead. This approach, while very rare, has proven to be highly successful. Not only will you have the joy of a healthier life, but you will have the support of an entire team who is with you for the long haul.

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