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[mellifrits 25]

Hi everyone my name is MaryAnn and I am 23 years old. I am getting what is called a Super Sleeve July 12, 2010 in Tijuana Mexico by Dr. Rodriguez. There are not many on the site that has the Super Sleeve so I am hoping to keep everyone updated on how it goes. If anyone has had the Super Sleeve or knows anyone that has gotten it I would love to hear from you.

Right now I am in my Pre-op diet so I think it has really hit me that my Super Sleeve is only a week away!

Any advice you have on my packing, pre-op, or even post-op I would love to hear from you!

Thank you!

Edited July 6, 2010 by mellifrits

[SParkle 4]

HI Maryann and welcome.

I'm sure you'll find loads of support and info on here to help you along you way. I hope your pre op is going well.... your op day will be with you soon enough and you'll be on the losers bench.

Use the time pre op to get everything done around the house so you won't need to worry about it during the first week or so post op....as you'll feel pretty fatigued. Also prep what you can food wise, stock up on your clear fluids and broths..... etc.

Good luck

Kathy

[Maddie 9]

Welcome, and best of luck to you.

[meriteri 1]

Hi MaryAnn,

I can't give you any advice as I am not there yet. But I wanted to wish you the best of luck with your surgery and hope for a speedy recovery! Also I am curious what is the super sleeve? And how does it differ?

[goodlife 3]

Welcome MaryAnn....best of luck to you for a smooth surgery and speedy recovery.

Keep us posted on your progress!

[FabBy50 0]

Welcome MaryAnn

My sister just had surgery with Dr Rodriguez 2 1/2 weeks ago, she was VERY happy with everything. She said the hospital was great, and the care was wonderful!

Good luck to you, and keep us posted!

[kymmi12 0]

I have never heard of the super sleeve.. What exactly is it? Can you give me a link so I can get more info on it. Sounds interesting ...

[edro 2]

I had the super sleeve or gastric plication. Dr. Rod and belite refer to the plication as the super sleeve. There is written data stating the super sleeve is a very tight gastric sleeve. This is somewhat confusing. Anyway, I had the SS on July 1 and I feel good. The surgery was easy. I had minimal pain, but did experience nausea. The flights to and from were the worse for me. I had a headache going and was tired and nauseated coming home. But, I made it and feel pretty good now.

Pack light. I took a heating blanket but never used it. I had some gas x strips also.

I did not follow the pre-op diet 100%.

Post-op: have Water, broths (I don't like), Jello, crystal light, gatorade, etc.

[mellifrits 25]

I had the super sleeve or gastric plication. Dr. Rod and belite refer to the plication as the super sleeve. There is written data stating the super sleeve is a very tight gastric sleeve. This is somewhat confusing. Anyway, I had the SS on July 1 and I feel good. The surgery was easy. I had minimal pain, but did experience nausea. The flights to and from were the worse for me. I had a headache going and was tired and nauseated coming home. But, I made it and feel pretty good now.

Pack light. I took a heating blanket but never used it. I had some gas x strips also.

I did not follow the pre-op diet 100%.

Post-op: have Water, broths (I don't like), Jello, crystal light, gatorade, etc.

Did he say anything to you about your liver? What is your BMI? Did you take anyone with you? Does it hurt to be sitting in a car or plane for a long period of time? Have you lost weight since the sleeve? Are you wanting to eat, just can't or are you not hungry at all? How is your pain now? Are you able to be around people or does it wear you out?

Sorry so many questions..

[mellifrits 25]

I have never heard of the super sleeve.. What exactly is it? Can you give me a link so I can get more info on it. Sounds interesting ...

Here is the letter that was sent to me:

Hi MaryAnn,

*

Here?s some information on the new Super Sleeve we are introducing at an introductory price of only $6200 for a limited time.* It is only available at our two Mexico facilities.

*

*Less Invasive** *Reversible**** *No cutting or re-routing of any internal organs** *No leakage issues** *No foreign implants* *Fast recovery!

*

My sister and niece just had this surgery on Saturday, 5/22/10, and were back at work on Monday.* I?m really excited about this procedure and urge you to consider it as another weight loss option!

*

Call if you have any questions or want more information!

Ishi J

*

*

TGVP Super Sleevectomy

Laparoscopic total gastric vertical plication (TGVP) is a new restrictive technique for the treatment of morbid obesity. This operation may be considered as an advancement of the well-known sleeve gastrectomy and is carried out with the use of pure non-absorbable surgical sutures.

In TGVP the gastric capacity is diminished without gastrectomy (removal of the stomach,) or foreign implants. Due to the lack of gastric strictures TGVP does not cause any food intolerance nor impair patient?s dietary habits. The excess weight loss is about (62-67% EWL.)

In comparison to other modern restrictive bariatric techniques, (laparoscopic gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy,) the advantages of TGVP are minimal risk of acute or late complications, and it?s reversible, (removing the gastric sutures will allow the stomach to go back to its normal form.)

September 2009 update

WEIGHT LOSS AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC TOTAL GASTRIC VERTICAL PLICATION. 16 MONTHS STUDY.

Other key words: gastric greater curvature invagination, gastric folding.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a new bariatric technique (laparoscopic total gastric vertical plication - LΤGVP) in a personal 52 obese patient series. Patients decision/consent for this type of operation was based on the following criteria: minor surgery, reversibility, fast recovery, absence of implants. Mean preoperative weight and body mass index (BMI) were 119.36 +/ 18.22 kg (range 88-157) and 41.50 +/ 4.58 kg/m2 (range 35- 55), respectively. RESULTS: There were no serious complications; the only late side-effect (> 6months) was mild GER (reflux) which affected 8/49 patients (16.32%). Three patients failed to lose weight loose due to gastric sewing disruption (one of them had a successful reoperation 3 months later). This happened early in the study. These 3 patients were excluded from statistic analysis. Mean follow-up was 9.33 +/ 3.39 months (range 6 -16). The mean postoperative weight loss was 29.36 Kg, mean excess weight loss (EWL) was 62.50%, while mean BMI dropped to 31.18 +/ 4.02 kg/m2. Thirty-nine patients (80%) lost more than 50% of the excess weight, 45% lost 61% or more, while one out four patients lost more than 70% of excess weight (range 71 -120%).

CONCLUSION: LΤGVP is a safe and effective restrictive bariatric operation. In comparison to the published results from gastric band studies (over the same time period,) weight loss after LΤGVP is faster and more intense.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a new bariatric technique which has a unique feature: it combines gastric restriction with appetite suppression.

LSG significantly reduces ghrelin levels due to resection of the gastric fundus, which is the predominant area of human ghrelin production. In other words, LSG has a physiological advantage over other restrictive procedures such as gastric banding or vertical banded gastroplasty, which does not influence the ghrelin-producing cell mass. Furthermore, in LSG no foreign material is implanted avoiding complications such as band migration, erosion and infections.

The risk of peptic ulcer or dumping is low, while absorption of nutrients and orally-administered drugs are not altered as may transpire after gastric by-pass.

What is super sleeve?

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is not as simple as any other gastrectomy. Gastric tube size influences both the degree of weight loss and weight stability. A large sleeve predisposes to gastric dilatation (stretching) and weight regain. Inexperienced surgeons tend to create large tubes ( or to leave back large remnants of the gastric fundus. A standardized technique with a gastric capacity less than 100 ml (A) is mandatory in order to get the patient to achieve a durable weight loss.

The sleeve should be ?super? which means a small gastric sleeve diameter and a higher degree of restriction. With the gastric capacity being restricted to 60-80gr and Ghrelin (the appetite hormone) totally suppressed, the resultant weight loss is predictable and comparable to those achieved with gastric by-pass (60-70% EWL), without any serious complication or side effects (e.g. Vitamin mal-absorption). We believe the ?Super Sleeve? to be a very effective and safe bariatric solution even for super-obese patients.

*

*

Ishi

Patient Facilitator

www.beliteweight.com*

Direct #949-388-6828

Toll Free #877-922-5272 X1

*

[Tiffykins 673]

HI there, and welcome. Best wishes on the plication, and I hear Dr. Rod is fabulous.

I wonder why belite and Dr. Rod market the TGVP as a super sleeve, when there is zero gastrectomy involved in the procedure? Not trying to be "mean or snarky", I just find it very misleading especially with the attached information that was sent to you. This portion specifically says gastrectomy which means "removal", yet the TGVP does not remove any portion of the stomach.

What is super sleeve?

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is not as simple as any other gastrectomy. Gastric tube size influences both the degree of weight loss and weight stability. A large sleeve predisposes to gastric dilatation (stretching) and weight regain. Inexperienced surgeons tend to create large tubes ( or to leave back large remnants of the gastric fundus. A standardized technique with a gastric capacity less than 100 ml (A) is mandatory in order to get the patient to achieve a durable weight loss.

The sleeve should be ’super’ which means a small gastric sleeve diameter and a higher degree of restriction. With the gastric capacity being restricted to 60-80gr and Ghrelin (the appetite hormone) totally suppressed, the resultant weight loss is predictable and comparable to those achieved with gastric by-pass (60-70% EWL), without any serious complication or side effects (e.g. Vitamin mal-absorption). We believe the ’Super Sleeve’ to be a very effective and safe bariatric solution even for super-obese patients.

This is truly confusing, especially for people researching this procedure, and the TGVP. The published data and research articles/studies state specific differences between the 2 procedures.

[BlackBerryJuice 349]

As a med student and someone who's risk-averse, I wouldn't go for the procedure if this is all the data they have. It's a very small sample size, they excluded several patients from the results (one of the hallmarks of a poor quality study), and the follow-up is not very long, at 9 months. I might offer this procedure to a patient as an option, but as far as an option for myself, with these data, I would hold out until more information is available.

[Tiffykins 673]

I just sent Alex (the owner of this site and lapbandtalk.com) a private message asking him to set up a sub-forum for TGVP members. That way, all the information can be in one place. We had something similar on lapbandtalk.com before verticalsleevetalk.com was created last year.

I thought it might help keep all the information together, and ensure that TGVP is highlighted as the plication procedure, and the super sleeve is identified as an entirely separate procedure per the research information from different cited sources. Maybe this would help avoid any confusion between the 2 procedures especially since their is at least one US surgeon performing TGVP in addition to Dr. Rodriguez in Mexico.

All the threads, and research stuff can be in one specific place for new members researching information, and for members that are pre/post op to share experiences so we can all learn from those that choose the plication.

[edro 2]

Mellifrits

The pre-op diet is to shrink the liver....BMI 37....I went alone....The flights were the worst part: I had a headache going and nausea going, but almost no pain....I've lost about 10 lbs. in one week....I have hunger and can eat. I'm getting in tune with my smaller stomach. I can feel food as it slides down now. I burp. I have tiny pains to let me know to slow down (usually too much Water at 1 time)....I have very little pain. The incision sites are bruised and feel like muscle soreness. I have hunger pangs. I have not been out doing things to become tired, but I am not 100%. I nap at least once daily. Overall, it was easier than expected.

[goodlife 3]

I agree Tiffany that perhaps marketing this procedure as a "super sleeve" is misleading.

They should stick to what it is....gastric plication to avoid any confusion.

Here is a link to my surgeon's website about this procedure...they call it the POSE procedure. They call it the incisionless weight loss surgery but it was only in clinical trials and they only do it for people who do not have a lot to lose.

Louisiana Incisionless Weight Loss Surgery

Tiff I read one of your other posts about this procedure and I agree with you that I would be concerned with the true reversibility of this procedure. I can't imagine that something that is sutured for any length of time wouldn't have some scar tissue or what not.

I think it's a good idea to have a sub forum for this procedure. I'm sure more and more people are going to start having this mainly because it's supposedly reversible.