All Your Questions Answered

A sleeve gastrectomy helps patients lose weight by restricting the amount of food that patients can eat at one time and by reducing the stomach’s storage capacity.

What is a sleeve gastrectomy?

A sleeve gastrectomy divides the stomach vertically with staples. The procedure removes a large portion of the stomach using laparoscopic surgery. The stomach left behind is longer, slender and tube-shaped and holds 1 to 5 ounces.

How does it work?

The surgery helps patients lose weight by controlling appetite and limiting the amount of food patients can consume at one sitting. The portion of the stomach that is removed secretes a hormone that controls appetite and hunger. The procedure also reduces the amount of food that the stomach can hold.

What are the benefits?

The sleeve gastrectomy does not require periodic adjustments, and no band is inserted in the stomach.
What is the difference between the sleeve gastrectomy and the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAP-BAND®, or Realize™)?

The type of food that sleeve gastrectomy patients consume can impact the amount of weight loss. If patients eat large amounts of soft foods such as ice cream, creamy cheeses and milkshakes, weight loss could slow.

However, unlike the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAP-BAND®, or Realize™) the sleeve gastrectomy is not reversible. The sleeve gastrectomy does not involve an intestinal bypass, which avoids nutrient deficiencies, ulcers and intestinal blockage complications that can happen with the laparoscopic bypass.

Register to attend one of our weight-loss seminars for more information about bariatric surgery.