Obesity is a systemic disease that affects the entire body. It is directly associated with conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, menstrual irregularities, infertility, herniated disc, psychological disorders, certain types of cancer, and joint degeneration.

If you have struggled to lose weight, suffer from obesity-related health problems, and feel that nothing has worked, gastric sleeve surgery may help improve both your health and quality of life.

As a general rule, vertical sleeve gastrectomy is suitable for individuals who are significantly overweight or for patients whose medical condition may prevent other types of bariatric surgery. It is also commonly used for high-risk patients and those with a high BMI as a first-stage procedure.

Sleeve gastrectomy is a bariatric surgery in which approximately 75–80% of the stomach is surgically removed. The remaining stomach has a significantly reduced volume, which limits food intake. Another important effect is the reduction in the production of the hunger hormone ghrelin, which helps decrease appetite.

The procedure is performed laparoscopically through small incisions in the abdominal wall. The surgery takes approximately 40–70 minutes, and patients are typically discharged after 1–2 nights in the hospital.