Patients frequently ask about gastric sleeve vs. gastric bypass pros and cons, and for good reason. Defeating severe obesity is no small matter and the selection of the right procedure can have lifelong impacts.

Gastric Bypass

Gastric bypass surgery, an older procedure that’s been widely performed since the 1980s, allows food to literally bypass a significant portion of the stomach and intestinal tract, reducing the absorption of calories and other nutrients. This makes overeating excessively uncomfortable while also reducing caloric intake. This surgery is tried and true, and its benefits have been studied for several decades, though there are some drawbacks that will likely impact your lifestyle. For one thing, the surgery is radical in comparison to the most popular surgery today (more on that in a moment) and the patient may need to take supplements to compensate for a loss in nutrient absorption. Also, there is a higher chance of side effects, including a condition called dumping syndrome, which is as bad as it sounds.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

Sleeve gastrectomy surgery, also known as a gastric sleeve, significantly reduces the size of the patient’s stomach. In this procedure, however, the digestive tract is left largely untouched but it appears to have most of the same benefits as the bypass. The means that patients will still absorb more nutrition and will be able to eat most of the same food as before. At the same time, it appears to have a strong impact in regards to ghrelin, a hormone which is associated with hunger. Sleeve gastrectomy surgery, highly effective but also less radical than a gastric bypass, has thus become the most popular procedure among bariatric patients and doctors.

To learn more about gastric sleeve vs. gastric bypass pros and cons, we encourage you to contact our team at Dr. Feiz & Associates today. To get started, call us at the phone number above or reach out to us through our contact page.