Does the stomach expand after sleeve gastrectomy?
Sleeve gastrectomy, also known as stomach reduction surgery, is an irreversible surgical method of weight loss. During the surgery, approximately 80% of the stomach is removed and a small tube-shaped stomach is left. A smaller stomach allows you to feel full faster and eat less food. In the first periods of the surgery, stomach has 100-150 ml in volume, that is, about the size of a tea glass. In the first year of the surgery, it is expected to expand a little and reach a volume of 200-250 ml, that is, it is about the size of a water glass. It is not technically possible for the stomach to expand to the volume before the surgery. In the preoperative period, the stomach volume is around 1000-1500 m. There are some rules that patients should follow in the postoperative period so that the stomach does not expand more than the expected amount. The most important of these rules is solid-liquid separation. Because the stomach volume is too small to process solids and liquids at the same time, it is necessary to group foods. This applies especially for water consumption and food. To illustrate, the patient may be hungry and thirsty at the same time. In such a case, patient must make a selection. He should either drink water and eat half an hour later, or drink water 30 minutes after eating. It will not cause any problem for this rule that patient consume enough liquid to make it easier to swallow during meals. Still, the precautions that can be taken include eating slowly, chewing the bites well and stopping eating when full. If you follow these recommendations, your stomach will not expand more than expected. The reason for regaining weight after sleeve gastrectomy is not stomach expansion contrary to what is believed. The reason for regaining weight, especially after the 2nd year, is to eat little and often and to consume high-calorie liquid foods. Therefore, nutrition education should be given on food awareness, especially starting from the 3rd month of the surgery. Accordingly, it is recommended to stay away from stimulating things such as television and telephone during the meal, and to eat while sitting at the table.
