Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy
This procedure is also known as a vertical gastrectomy or a vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). VSG historically had been performed only as the first stage of the Bilio-Pancreatic Diversion with Duodenal switch (BPD-DS) in patients who were at high risk for complications due to excessive weight or serious medical conditions. However, many of those patients lost a significant amount of weight with VSG alone and were able to avoid a second procedure. The sleeve gastrectomy is a procedure that limits how much food you can eat by significantly reducing the volume of your stomach, but does not significantly affect the absorption of food. The left side of your stomach is surgically removed. This results in a new stomach which is roughly the size of a banana and holds 2-3 oz. Sleeve gastrectomy is performed laparoscopically through 5 or 6 tiny incisions. Since the procedure does not involve re-routing of the intestines, it is simpler that gastric bypass.In addition to causing weight loss by limiting food intake, sleeve gastrectomy also removes the portion of the stomach responsible for secreting the hormone ghrelin. This results in a lower ghrelin level amount in your body. This is a hormone is known to stimulate hunger and appetite. Excess weight loss with sleeve gastrectomy averages about 50-60%. Currently laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is a covered benefit for some insurance companies, but may be considered investigational by others.
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