How to Manage a Gastric Sleeve Leak

A gastric sleeve leak may occur after a laparoscopic sleeve gasterectomy, a surgical procedure used to treat obesity, is performed. A gastric sleeve leak occurs when one or more of the staples in the stomach do not hold and stomach acids begin to leak through the stomach, resulting in infections and damage to other organs. According to doctormarvin.com, a gastric sleeve leak is a potentially life threatening condition that occurs in about 1 out of 100 patients.

Instructions

• 1

  See a doctor immediately if there are signs of a gastric sleeve leak. Symptoms of a sleeve leak include pain in the abdomen that gets worse rather than better, swelling in the stomach, pain in the left shoulder or chest, dizziness, fever, infection and the appearance of sickness. Though these symptoms are similar to stomach bleeding symptoms as a result of the surgery, they are also very common with a gastric sleeve leak. Only a doctor can determine whether you are suffering from a gastric sleeve leak or bleeding from the stomach due to surgery.

• 2

  Arrange for draining and parenteral or enteral feeding at a hospital. One possible option for treatment and management of a gastric sleeve leak is to drain away stomach acids, and feed patients through either a catheter or intravenously. This allows the stomach to heal so that the leak stops, while keeping the stomach acids from reaching other organs.

• 3

  Have a second surgery. Though there are two options for dealing with this problem, the most common way to manage and fix a gastric sleeve leak is by open surgery. Doctors go in and fix the leak in the stomach and also remove any acids that have leaked into the body cavity or onto other organs.

• 4

  Stay in the hospital for the time necessary to recover. Since both methods are invasive and major, the patient should stay in the hospital until he is out of potential danger. You can expect to spend up to 30 days in the hospital recuperating from either of these procedures.