Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

About Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is a weight-loss surgery that reduces the size of the stomach by roughly seventy-five to eighty percent, converting it from its normal pouch shape into a narrow, banana-shaped tube. Working through several small keyhole incisions in the abdomen using a camera and long, slender instruments, the surgeon staples along the length of the stomach and removes the larger curved portion, leaving behind a smaller stomach that restricts food intake and reduces levels of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates hunger. Because no part of the intestine is rerouted, nutrient absorption remains largely normal, though lifelong vitamin and mineral supplementation is generally still recommended. It is typically offered to patients with a body mass index in the obese range, particularly those with obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or sleep apnea, who have not achieved lasting weight loss through diet and lifestyle measures alone. The operation is performed under general anesthesia and usually takes about one to two hours. Indian bariatric centers perform high volumes of sleeve gastrectomy using standardized laparoscopic protocols. Recovery involves a short hospital stay, a staged return to solid food over several weeks, and long-term dietary counseling and follow-up to support sustained weight loss.