If non-surgical treatments for stomach cancer or ulcers are no longer working, you may need a gastrectomy. At Somerset Surgical Associates, LLC, the experienced surgeons offer a minimally invasive gastrectomy to remove part or all of your stomach. They also provide complete after-care services to help you heal fully and make the necessary diet changes a gastrectomy requires. Call the office in Somerville, New Jersey, to schedule a gastrectomy consultation or book an appointment online today.

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What is gastrectomy?

Gastrectomy is a surgical procedure to remove part (partial gastrectomy) or all (total gastrectomy) of your stomach.

Your stomach is an organ in the upper part of your abdomen that is responsible for processing minerals, carbohydrates, fats, and other nutrients from the food you eat. Your stomach also helps move waste out of your body.

Why would I need a gastrectomy?

The Somerset Surgical Associates, LLC, surgeons may recommend a gastrectomy as a last-resort treatment option for stomach conditions like:

  • Polyps
  • Ulcers
  • Bleeding
  • Stomach cancer
  • Perforations in the stomach wall

A gastrectomy may be necessary when medications and other therapies aren’t enough to treat symptoms of these conditions or your risk for additional medical complications is high.

What happens during a gastrectomy?

A gastrectomy can be partial or full, depending on the condition you have.

Partial gastrectomy

During a partial gastrectomy, your Somerset Surgical Associates, LLC, provider removes only the damaged or diseased part of your stomach. The remaining part of your stomach continues to function normally as part of your digestive process.

Total gastrectomy

If you need a total gastrectomy, your surgeon removes your entire stomach. They connect your esophagus, the tube in your throat that food passes through, directly to your small intestine.

In many cases, the surgeon can use minimally invasive, laparoscopic techniques to complete a gastrectomy. They use a specialized camera and surgical instruments that fit through very small incisions in your abdomen to remove your stomach and reconstruct your digestive tract.

The camera sends real-time images of the surgical site to an external monitor. Your surgeon watches the monitor to get a close-up view of your stomach, so they can remove the organ without damaging nearby tissue.

How long does it take to recover from a gastrectomy?

Following a gastrectomy, you can expect to stay in the hospital for up to 10 days for postsurgical monitoring.

Your Somerset Surgical Associates, LLC, provider helps you manage any pain you have with medications. They also continue to evaluate your digestive function to ensure you won’t have complications after you leave the hospital.

It can take several weeks for you to fully recover from a gastrectomy. Your surgeon provides complete after-care resources to help you care for your incisions and your digestive health. You also need to make several dietary changes after surgery to prevent digestive upset and other complications.

Call Somerset Surgical Associates, LLC, to schedule a gastrectomy consultation or book an appointment online today.