Sleeve gastrectomy: Gastric bypass surgery alternative

Miami, FL

Gastric bypass surgery has been a life-saving procedure for many morbidly-obese people. During the preparation for that surgery, a patient's stomach may have to be stapled. Now, doctors at UCLA Medical Center say the stomach stapling alone may be very effective to help the patient lose weight.

The procedure is called a "sleeve gastrectomy." It involves trimming down the stomach over a special calibrating tube to 1/3 or ¼ the current size. The surgery is typically reserved for those patients considered to be morbidly obese.

UCLA doctors say the new procedure is still major surgery and the more research is needed, but believe it could become more common than a gastric bypass.

Candidates for most of the new bariatric surgeries must be at least 100 pounds overweight and have medical problems like diabetes, arthritis, or high blood pressure.

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