Sleeve Gastrectomy

The Sleeve Gastrectomy was once part of a two-stage Bariatric surgery named the Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch.  With excellent short-term results, the sleeve has been modified to become its own operation.  The Sleeve Gastrectomy involves remodeling the stomach into a thin tube.  Once the size and shape of a small football, the stomach becomes similar to a thin banana. Weight loss occurs by two different processes.

By “tubularizing” the stomach, the Sleeve Gastrectomy restricts the amount of food that you may consume at one time.  In addition, the Sleeve Gastrectomy is the only Bariatric Surgery that is irreversible because it involves removing a great deal of stomach to create the sleeve.  Part of the stomach that is removed produces Ghrelin.  Ghrelin is a hormone that stimulates appetite; so removing its source is felt to lessen hunger.

The operation has produced encouraging five year results, however, long-term data is not yet available.