Gastric sleeve surgery is performed under general anesthesia and takes about two hours to complete.
Just a few small incisions are made in the stomach area so that a laparoscope and other surgical instruments used to perform a gastrectomy can be inserted in the abdomen. Then approximately 75 percent of a stomach is removed and the rest of the pouch is sealed using medical staples. In order to prevent any leakage after a patient starts consuming food, the staples are then manually stitched over and a fluid test is done while the patient is still on the operating table. The new stomach acquires a shape somewhat similar to a sleeve.
The stomach retains all of its previous functions, therefore, food can still be digested properly. The biggest change is a significantly decreased feeling of hunger. Moreover, the patient feels full faster and can eat smaller portions of food.