Gastric Sleeve Specialist

Atlanta Body Institute

General and Bariatric Surgeons, Gynecologists & Cosmetic Specialists located in Buckhead, Atlanta, GA & Loganville, GA

If you’ve been struggling to lose weight with diet and exercise alone, a gastric sleeve weight-loss surgery may be your answer. Christopher Ibikunle, MD, and Angelina Postoev, MD, co-founded Atlanta Body Institute to provide high-quality and cost-effective weight-loss solutions like gastric sleeve surgery. Serving the Atlanta community with sensitivity, precision, and compassion, the Atlanta Body Institute team is here to help. Call Dr. Ibikunle or schedule a consultation online today to learn about the benefits of gastric sleeve surgery.

Gastric Sleeve Q & A

What is a gastric sleeve?

Gastric sleeve surgery is a form of weight-loss surgery in which Dr. Ibikunle removes up to 85% of your stomach. The portion of the stomach that is removed secretes hormones, like ghrelin, that signal hunger. Without this portion of the stomach, your body produces little or no ghrelin. With fewer hunger signals and a smaller stomach, you will consume fewer calories and lose weight.

To be a candidate for gastric sleeve surgery, you must have a BMI over 40 or have a BMI over 30 with other health concerns. Other health concerns that qualify you for a gastric sleeve include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, or sleep apnea.

What types of gastric sleeves are available?

At Atlanta Body Institute, Dr. Ibikunle specializes in two minimally invasive gastric sleeve options. Both options involve decreasing the size of your stomach in different ways:

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG)

With LSG, Dr. Ibikunle removes about 85% of your stomach through a few tiny incisions in your abdomen. He uses a laparoscopic camera and specialized tools to carefully resize your stomach through the incisions while you are under anesthesia.

The LSG procedure is performed in a hospital and lasts about two hours. You recover in the hospital for two to three days before returning home. Full recovery takes about two weeks before you can return to work.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG)

During ESG, Dr. Ibikunle inserts a tiny camera and endoscopic tools through your mouth to your stomach while you are under anesthesia. Dr. Ibikunle places approximately 12 sutures in your stomach to create a tube shape. The new tube-shaped area is smaller in size so you require less food to feel full.

ESG is an outpatient procedure that lasts about 90 minutes. After surgery is completed, you return home to recover for about two weeks before returning to work.

What results can I expect with a gastric sleeve?

Full recovery takes four to six weeks. After this time, you will be able to return to normal physical activities, work, and further development of your healthy lifestyle.

On average, you can expect to lose about 33% of your excess weight after three months, about half of your excess weight after six months, and about 70% of your excess weight after one year.*

A consultation with Dr. Ibikunle is the first step to understanding your options for weight-loss surgery. Call or schedule your visit online today.