Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy
The sleeve gastrectomy is a surgery performed on the stomach (it restricts the amount of food intake) and does not involve any surgery on intestine (which would affect the amount of food and nutrient absorption). Sleeve gastrectomy has also been called partial gastrectomy and vertical sleeve gastrectomy. It basically consists of making a stomach that looks like a pouch into a long tube; therefore the name "sleeve." The sleeve gastrectomy (SG) removes two-thirds of the stomach, which provides for quicker satiety (sense of fullness) and decreased appetite. The smaller stomach pouch restricts food intake by allowing only a small amount of food to be eaten at one time. After the separation into a smaller tube, the remainder of the stomach is removed. The valve at the outlet of the stomach remains, permitting the normal process of the stomach emptying to continue, which allows for the feeling of fullness.