The Single Anastomosis Duodenal-Ileal Bypass with Sleeve Gastrectomy (SADI-S) is a new surgical procedure that helps patients who are struggling with morbid obesity. The procedure works in two ways. First, it reduces the amount of food you can eat by making your stomach smaller. Second, it reduces the amount of food fully digested by your body.

The relatively simple procedure takes less than two hours and typically involves only six small incisions in your belly. That means you will have a shorter stay in the hospital, a quicker recovery time and limited scarring.

The laparoscopic procedure is done in two parts. During the first phase – called a sleeve gastrectomy – your surgeon will remove 85 percent of your stomach. The leftover portion will be roughly in the shape of a banana. Having a smaller stomach means you will feel full much faster when eating.

During the second phase, your surgeon will divide your duodenum (the uppermost portion of your small intestine) in two – and connect it to your small intestine further down the line. This allows the food you eat to bypass more than half of your small intestine. That makes it impossible for your body to fully digest all the food you eat, offering additional weight loss advantages.

SADI-S is a modification of the more common duodenal switch procedure, which bypasses an even larger section (80 percent) of your small intestine. Keeping more of your small intestine involved in digestion lowers the risk of vitamin deficiencies and malnutrition.

During the procedure, your team will control pain with a TAP block, a long-lasting anesthetic that should carry you through your post-surgery recovery. Patients typically need no narcotic medications afterward.

Benefits of the SADI-S Procedure

This procedure offers several benefits, including the loss of 75 percent or more of your unhealthy weight. It also has been shown to have a dramatic impact on Type 2 diabetes, while improving metabolism and decreasing appetite.

Who Is a Candidate for This Procedure?

This procedure may be right for you if you have been diagnosed with morbid obesity, with a body mass index over 40. Other health problems – including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol – will increase your potential benefits from the procedure.

SADI-S FAQs

You will likely spend one to two days in the hospital following the procedure. Within two weeks, you should be able to return to normal activities, though heavy lifting should be avoided for a month.

The benefits should begin almost immediately, but it may take a year to realize your full weight loss potential.

You should feel less hungry and will feel full much faster.

Yes. The first phase of the procedure is the sleeve gastrectomy. If that has already been done, your surgeon can move on to the second phase to complete the SADI-S procedure.

While the procedure bypasses a smaller section of your small intestine (compared to the traditional duodenal switch procedure), you will likely still need to take supplements to offset your lower absorption of minerals and nutrients.