Gastric Sleeve

Gastric sleeve has become the most common bariatric procedure. Also referred to as a sleeve gastrectomy, this surgical procedure induces weight loss by restricting food intake. Usually, this procedure is performed laparoscopically, a minimally invasive procedure using small instruments to make the incision. Your surgeon removes approximately 75 percent of your stomach. This results in the stomach taking on the shape of a tube or sleeve, which holds much less food than your pre-surgery football-sized stomach.

Sleeve gastrectomy induces rapid and effective weight loss comparable to gastric bypass surgery.

How It Works

Using a surgical stapler, your surgeon removes the whole left side of your stomach, leaving a long, narrow stomach the shape of a shirt sleeve. Removing most of your stomach also decreases the production of a hormone called ghrelin, the hunger hormone, which sends hunger signals to the brain. The result of these combined changes will make you feel much less hungry.

Another positive result of this procedure is that your blood sugar metabolism improves Type 2 diabetes, and lowers your need for diabetes medications.

Many patients lose between 25 and 30 percent of total body weight within 1 to 2 years after sleeve gastrectomy.