The Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy procedure is relatively new in the United States. The Vanderbilt Center for Surgical Weight Loss is among a few other weight loss centers performing this procedure. Vanderbilt has experienced great success with our patients losing the expected amount of weight while staying healthy.

Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy is performed laparoscopically through five very small incisions. Sophisticated instruments and a small camera are inserted through these incisions to conduct the operation. The use of small incisions creates less tissue damage, fewer complications, and an earlier discharge from the hospital.

In this procedure, most of the stomach is removed and a ‘vertical sleeve’ or tube is fashioned from the remaining stomach. The food goes through the stomach into the small intestine in a normal fashion. Since the stomach is so much smaller a much smaller portion size of food fills you up and reduces food intake. The food does not bypass any of the intestines so there is no malabsorption created by the Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. The production of the “appetite hormone” ghrelin is reduced since it is made by the stomach. The reduction of this hormone reduces hunger and contributes to the success of the procedure. 

Advantages of the Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy are that it is a satiety-inducing procedure because it reduces the “appetite hormone” Ghrelin, it causes minimal to no dumping, and because there is no bypass of the small intestine there is a low risk of malnutrition. Long term the Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy has less risk of bowel obstruction, and has less risk of stomach ulcer formation. Weight loss after Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy is identical to the weight loss after Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass. 

A disadvantages of the Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy are that it is considered experimental by most insurance companies including Medicare; therefore, it is not a covered procedure.