Gastrectomy
Indication:
- Gastrectomy is used to treat stomach problems that aren’t helped by other treatments;
Benign, or noncancerous, tumors- bleeding- inflammation- perforations in the stomach wall- polyps, or growths inside your stomach-stomach cancer-severe peptic or duodenal ulcer.
- Removing your stomach doesn’t take away your ability to digest liquids and foods. However, you may need to make several lifestyle changes after the procedure.
Types of Gastrectomy:
–Partial Gastrectomy:
- Your surgeon will remove the lower half of your stomach during a partial gastrectomy.
- They may also remove nearby lymph nodes if you have cancer cells in them.
- In this surgery, your surgeon will close off your duodenum. Your duodenum is the first part of your small intestine that receives partially digested food from your stomach. Then, the remaining part of your stomach will be connected to your bowel.
–Complete Gastrectomy:
- Also called total gastrectomy, this procedure completely removes the stomach.
- Your surgeon will connect your esophagus directly to your small intestine. The esophagus normally connects your throat to your stomach.
–Sleeve Gastrectomy:
- Up to three-quarters of your stomach may be removed during a sleeve gastrectomy.
- Your surgeon will trim the side of your stomach to turn it into a tube shape. This creates a smaller, longer stomach.
Preparation for a Gastrectomy:
- Your doctor will order blood tests and imaging tests before the surgery, these will ensure you’re healthy enough for the procedure.
- You’ll also have a complete physical and a review of your medical history.
- During your appointment, tell your doctor if you’re taking any medications. Be certain to include over-the-counter medicines and supplements. You may have to stop taking certain drugs prior to surgery.
- You should also tell your doctor if you’re pregnant, think you could be pregnant, or have other medical conditions, such as diabetes.
- If you smoke cigarettes, you should stop smoking. Smoking adds extra time to recovery. It can also create more complications, especially those involving infection and lung problems.