Manga Gástrica is one of the most common bariatric surgeries, designed to reduce the size of the stomach, it helps people who have struggled with obesity to loose weight and has many others, significant and palpable benefits. Here, at My New Body Obesity Center we have helped people from all over the world live healthier

One of the most frequent questions we have from our patient is: Can your stomach stretach after Gastric Sleeve Surgery? And the plain and straight forward answer is Yes, the stomach, like any other muscle, can stretch over the years after a Gastric Sleeve Surgery.

Gastric Sleeve Surgery works, in part, due to the surgical anatomic changes in  the size of the stomach. Also, doesn’t produce nearly as much ghrelin, or hunger hormone.  This leads the patient to feel much less hungry before and during meals.  So…

What happens when (if) the stomach stretches after Gastric Sleeve?

It is important to understand that stomach stretching is normal. The stomach, like any other muscle, naturally stretches to hold the amount of food being taken. If this is a rare occurrence, the stomach will simply shrink back to the previous size.

Over time, even a reduced stomach will eventually expand a certain amount, though the exact amount can vary, depending on the lifestyle and diet of the Gastric Sleeve Patient.

How long does it take for  stretch the stomach?

It varies from patient to patient, but for the stomach to stretch significantly it requires months if not years.

Eating and drinking regular amounts of food and beverages will only stretch out the stomach a minor amount. If the overeating happens uncommonly, the stretching effect will not be permanent in most cases. But,  frequent overeating can lead to stomach stretch after Gastric Sleeve Surgery, which may take place over a long period of time.

How To Avoid Stomach Stretching After Gastric Sleeve Surgery

The important thing to remember is that the stomach can and will stretch a small amount—that’s normal and expected. You must be careful not to routinely overeat or weight gain and stomach stretching can occur. It is extemely important to adhere to your post op diet and recommendations and exercise regularly to prevent stomach stretching. By adhering to our bariatric team’s instructions and following through with the aftercare program, you can develop healthy eating habits and increase the likelihood of long-term weight loss success.

In the case of weight regain after gastric sleeve surgery a revision surgery is one the options and a commong course of action. Consider that some surgeries, as the Gastric Sleeve actually, are a actually only a step of other complex bariatric surgeries as the Duodenal Switch.

If you are struggling with weight regain after gastric sleeve surgery and considering Revision Surgery, feel free to contact us and we will help you determine if Cirugía de Revisión is the right option for you.

Resources

Levy, J. L., Levine, M. S., Rubesin, S. E., Williams, N. N., & Dumon, K. R. (2018). Stenosis of gastric sleeve after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: clinical, radiographic and endoscopic findings. The British journal of radiology, 91(1089), 20170702. https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr.20170702

Written by: Alberto Carlos, MD

Last Updated: February 26th, 2022