This article is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a template for consenting patients. The person obtaining consent should have clear knowledge of the procedure and the potential risks and complications. Always refer to your local or national guidelines, and the applicable and appropriate law in your jurisdiction governing patient consent. Overview of Procedure A sleeve gastrectomy procedure primarily works via a restrictive mechanism, whereby the greater curve of the stomach is removed, leaving only a tube ~4-5cm wide. Adobe Stock, Licensed to TeachMeSeries Ltd Figure 1Illustration showing the anatomy following a sleeve gastrectomy procedure Complications Intra-Operative Complication Description of Complication Potential Ways to Reduce Risk Haemorrhage Damage to any of the surrounding structures can cause significant haemorrhage Injury to surrounding structures including bowel, liver, and spleen Damage can occur to any surrounding organ during the surgery Anaesthetic risks Includes damage to the teeth, throat and larynx, reaction to medications, nausea and vomiting, cardiovascular and respiratory complications Forms a part of the anaesthetist assessment before the operation Early Complication Description of Complication Potential Ways to Reduce Risk Infection Includes both wound infections and intra-abdominal collections, as well as respiratory or urinary tract infections post-operatively Intravenous antibiotics at induction, wound irrigation at closure, and early mobilisation Leak from the Staple Line Leakage from the staple line may occur and can be potentially serious and frequently requires further surgery DVT or PE, MI, Stroke, or Mortality As with any major surgery, whilst these events are uncommon, important to be aware of; the mortality risk is over 1 in 200 Adequate pre-optimisation and anaesthetic assessment, peri-operative prophylactic LMWH, high-dependency level care post-operatively Late Complication Description of Complication Potential Ways to Reduce Risk Metabolic and endocrine disturbances Changes to absorption and gastric secretions of the alimentary canal can affect nutrition considerably post-operatively The involvement of a specialist bariatric dietician in the management of bariatric patients is essential Failure to lose weight A sleeve gastrectomy is highly effective, but inevitably a minority of patients ultimately fail to lose weight Rate This Article