Nursing Care of the Adolescent Patient Undergoing Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Over the past several decades, obesity has become an increasingly important problem for adolescents in the United States. As more children struggle with obesity-related comorbidities and due to the lack of sustained success with medical and behavioral weight-loss programs, the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has emerged as an effective surgical option for significant weight loss first in the adult population and now among adolescents. Nurses play an integral role in the success of the patient undergoing sleeve gastrectomy in both the preoperative and post-operative phases. Their expertise in patient education makes nurses well suited to provide patients and families with anticipatory guidance and nutritional support throughout the process. In addition, the compassion and caring that is unique to the nursing profession allows nurses to excel in the care of patients with the complex medical and psychological disorders related to obesity.