A gastrectomy is a procedure performed in order to remove all or part of the stomach (Princeton, n.d.). There are many types of gastrectomy procedures, and each can be performed in different ways. Most gastrectomies are performed for weight-loss purposes or for treatment of gastric cancer or stomach cancer. The various types of gastrectomy include a sleeve gastrectomy, a total gastrectomy, a subtotal gastrectomy and a mini sleeve gastrectomy.
Sleeve Gastrectomy
The sleeve gastrectomy is a procedure done for weight loss. This is a surgical procedure where a patient is cut open and portion of the stomach is removed. The patient is then left with a stomach that is roughly the size and shape of a banana. The removal of a portion of the stomach allows the patient to feel fuller faster and reduces calorie intake. This helps the patient to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. This procedure can be used in addition to a gastric banding procedure or to replace a gastric bypass or banding. This procedure is sometimes considered safer than either bypass or banding because it does not entail reattaching intestines or implanting a band that must remain in the body (UCSD Medical Center, 2006).
Total Gastrectomy
A total gastrectomy is complete removal of the entire stomach. This is normally a surgery performed in patients who present with stomach cancer in the middle portion of the stomach that is not easily accessible. This type of gastrectomy can be performed using three different methods. One method is using a laproscopic procedure. Another is the keyhole surgical method. In both of these methods, only tiny incisions are made, thus reducing scarring to the patient. The third method is typical surgery where the patient is left with a long scar that runs either the length or width of her abdominal area (Cancer Research UK, 2002).
Subtotal Gastrectomy
Subtotal gastrectomy is a surgical procedure also used to treat gastric or stomach cancer. This surgery is similar to total gastrectomy, except instead of the whole stomach being removed, only a portion of the stomach where the cancer is located and any surrounded infected tissue is removed. This method can be performed through either a regular traditional surgical procedure or through laproscopy. Both surgical methods performed well in trials, yielding similar results for patients (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc., 2005).
Mini Sleeve Gastrectomy
A mini sleeve gastrectomy is relatively the same procedure as a sleeve gastrectomy. However, there are some slight differences. First, a mini sleeve shrinks the stomach to a much smaller size; roughly the size of a peanut. Therefore, this surgical weight-loss procedure is reserved for only the morbidly obese so that they may reach their weight goals quickly. This surgery is also not performed openly like sleeve gastrectomy. This procedure is only performed laproscopically, typically through the belly button or through the vaginal area of a female patient using a scope (Department of Health and Human Services, 2009).
Choosing a Procedure
Your doctor will help you to select the appropriate procedure depending on your age and health, the reason for the gastrectomy and other factors including your potential to suffer side effects and your aversion to scarring. A person who has a gastrectomy in order to lose weight generally has more options then a person undergoing partial or complete stomach removal as a form of cancer treatment. Regardless of the reason for your gastrectomy, you will need to relearn positive eating habits after the surgery since you will be unable to overeat with your smaller stomach capacity.
