Sleeve gastrectomy is a type of surgical procedure that changes the size of your stomach. The size of your stomach determines the amount of food that you can eat before your body feels full. Though diet and exercise can help you lose weight, those methods aren’t always effective in those who fall into the obese or overweight range.

The excess weight that you carry around on your frame can leave you feeling quite a bit of pain when you exercise. You also risk not getting enough calories for healthy survival on some diet plans. Sleeve gastrectomy can help you lose the extra weight that you need faster than diet and exercise alone.

Gastrectomy Sleeve Surgery

With gastrectomy sleeve surgery, the doctor will put you under anesthesia and make an incision in your stomach. The doctor then removes more than half of your stomach and uses a series of stitches to close off the remaining portion left behind. If you look at pictures of what your stomach will look like, you might notice that it looks similar to a banana. Though the surgeon will not implant a sleeve in your stomach, he or she will make your stomach look like a smaller tube or sleeve. According to UCLA Health, more than 40% of all weight loss surgeries performed in the United States are of this type because it has fewer side effects and complications than other procedures do.

How Sleeve Surgery Works

Sleeve surgery is a popular weight loss method because it significantly reduces the size of your stomach. As you eat, the food moves into your stomach and fills the pouch or sleeve. This leaves you feeling full when you eat less. You may find that you feel fuller for longer when eating less too. Your body will keep producing the same amount of hormones that regulate your hunger, but those hormones will leave your body feeling full and satisfied.

Who Can Get the Surgery?

Most patients who are obese or overweight qualify for gastrectomy sleeve surgery. Your doctor may require that you show proof you attempted other weight loss methods in the past. Most doctors recommend this type of stomach surgery for adult patients who are over the age of 18. The procedure is best for those who suffer from medical conditions because of their weight.