5-447.c1:

Your stomach has once more been surgically reduced in size.

The stomach is located in the upper abdomen. The stomach has a curved shape, and is connected to the gullet (oesophagus) at its upper end and with the first part of the small intestine at its lower end. Between the stomach and the small intestine is a ring-shaped valve, the pylorus. The inside of the stomach is lined with mucous membrane.

You had surgery in the past which reduced the size of your stomach. In the process your stomach was made into a sort of sleeve. This is also known as a gastric sleeve. The aim of this type of surgery is to reduce the capacity of the stomach. Then less food can be eaten than before.

Sometimes the gastric sleeve expands again after a period of time. Then you can take in more food than was originally planned. The gastric sleeve is then sometimes surgically reduced again. There can also be other reasons why a gastric sleeve requires more surgery.

A laparoscopy was carried out so that you could be operated on. A laparoscopy first involves making a small incision in the abdomen. A tube with a camera is pushed through this incision into the abdomen. This camera sends pictures of the inside of the abdomen to a screen. Tools such as forceps and scissors can be inserted through other small incisions in the abdomen.