Gastric Sleeve

What is a Gastric Sleeve (Sleeve Gastrectomy)?

Sleeve gastrectomy is the newest advance in weight loss surgery. It offers the advantages of both bypass and banding without the common complications. Like gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive operation. You will feel full and satisfied with a small meal. You will not require an implanted band or its adjustments. Like gastric bypass, patients lose on average more than 60% of their excess weight, but without the risk of common gastric bypass complications like ulcers or anastomotic stricture.

Sleeve gastrectomy has an important advantage over the other operations in that a portion of the stomach is permanently removed. This portion is the area of the stomach that produces the hormone of hunger ” Ghrelin”. Patients report significantly less hunger after sleeve gastrectomy. It is a wonderful feeling to lose weight without hunger.

Gastric sleeve is performed laparoscopically and it takes between 30 minutes and an hour.
During the operation about 80% of the stomach is removed, leaving a slender, tubular or “sleeve shaped”stomach.