Gastric sleeve surgery is the most common weight loss procedure in the United States.

The gastric sleeve was initially conceived as the first stage of a more involved procedure called the biliopancreatic diversion (BPD). Although the BPD is rarely performed today due to the severe nutritional deficiencies it produces, doctors recognized that some patients had significant weight loss with only this first stage, so the “sleeve” is now performed as a stand-alone weight loss procedure.

Gastric sleeve surgery involves the permanent removal of about 2/3 of the stomach. This turns the stomach into a long, narrow tube using a row of staples. While some patients may go home the same day of surgery, a 1-2 day hospital stay is common. Risks can include leaking or bleeding from the staple line (less than 1% in our practice), reflux, and nutritional problems in very rare instances. As with all bariatric surgery, vitamin supplementation is important.