Sleeve Gastrectomy
The Sleeve Gastrectomy is performed by removing approximately 80 percent of the stomach. The remaining stomach is a pouch that resembles a banana.
How Does it Work?
The new stomach pouch holds considerably less than the normal stomach and helps to significantly reduce the amount of food (and thus calories) that a person can eat. Possibly more significant is the impact the surgery has on gut hormones that impact a number of factors including hunger, satiety, and blood sugar control.
Pros
- Restricts the amount of food the stomach can hold
- Requires no foreign objects (unlike the gastric band)
- Induces rapid and significant weight loss
- Causes favorable changes in gut hormones that suppress hunger, reduce appetite and improve satiety
- Involves a short hospital stay (2 days)
Cons
- Can’t be reversed
- Has the potential for long-term vitamin deficiencies
- Has a higher early complication rate than the Gastric Band