Vertical Sleeve Gastroectomy

The vertical sleeve gastrectomy, otherwise known as ‘the sleeve’, is a procedure that makes the size of the stomach smaller. This limits the amount of food you can eat, so you are fuller faster. It also affects certain hormones in the body that affect our hunger, so in general your appetite is suppressed. This surgery is non-reversible.

Advantages:

• Reduction in portion size
• Reduction in hunger
• Decreased chance of malabsorption and nutritional deficiency
• No dumping syndrome
• Improvement or resolution of medical problems related to obesity

Disadvantages:

• Stricture or narrowing of the sleeve
• Ulcers, particularly from NSAID use or smoking
• Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)