At North Orlando Surgical Group, we are proud to have established a unique surgical practice characterized by superior skills and extraordinary services both to the patient we care for as well as their referring physicians. We are recognized in Central Florida for our ability to perform complex procedures in the least invasive way. Our attentive staff is focused on providing the highest level of personal services and are committed to making every patient’s surgical experience as comfortable and convenient as it can be.
A partial gastrectomy is one of the major types of stomach surgery. In this procedure your surgeon removes the part of your stomach. Your surgeon may also remove nearby lymph nodes if you have cancer cells in them. 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.
A laparoscopic partial gastrectomy is used to treat stomach problems that aren’t helped by other treatments. Your surgeon may recommend a gastrectomy to treat:
• Benign (noncancerous) tumors
• Bleeding
• Inflammation
• Perforations in the stomach wall
• Polyps (growths) inside your stomach
• Stomach cancer
• Sever peptic or duodenal ulcers
This laparoscopic procedure is performed by inserting special instruments and a laparoscope through small incisions in the abdomen. The laparoscope is a thin, lighted camera that transmits pictures of the inside of your body to a video screen. Your doctor sees the inside of your abdomen on the computer screen as he or she performs the surgery. Minimally invasive surgery generally involves a faster recovery and less pain than open surgery. This is because it causes less trauma to tissues and organs. Your doctor will make small incisions instead of a larger one used in open surgery. He or she can thread surgical tools around structures, such as muscle, instead of cutting through or displacing them as in open surgery.
Once you go home, you may have to adjust your eating habits. Some changes may include:
• Eating smaller meals throughout the day
• Avoiding high fiber foods
• Eating foods rich in calcium, iron, and vitamins C and D
• Taking vitamin supplements
A gastrectomy may cure your condition or significantly reduce your symptoms so you can lead a more active, healthy life. For example, a gastrectomy for a tumor may help relieve abdominal pain and allow you to resume eating many of the foods you love. A gastrectomy for stomach cancer will most likely include radiation and chemotherapy, both of which improve your prognosis compared to surgery alone.
In most cases, life after gastrectomy includes performing many of your former everyday activities, such as exercising and working. In fact, many people who have a gastrectomy can enjoy activities they were not able to do before surgery.
However, a gastrectomy will also cause significant changes to your body that affect your dietary habits. You may have to avoid certain types of food, eat much smaller, more frequent meals, and consume beverages in much smaller quantities. Your healthcare team, including your surgeon, primary care doctor, nurse, and registered dietician will work with you to understand your new dietary needs. With time, you will learn to adapt your dietary habits so you can feel satisfied and comfortable with your new digestive process.