The vertical sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive form of bariatric surgery in which approximately 85 percent of the stomach is removed, leaving a cylindrical or sleeve-shaped stomach. With this surgery, the outlet valve and the nerves to the stomach remain intact, and while the stomach is drastically reduced in size, its function is preserved. The vertical sleeve gastrectomy is not reversible.
The gastric sleeve results in fewer restrictions on the foods that patients can consume after surgery, although the quantity of food eaten is still considerably reduced. It does not involve any bypass of the intestinal tract, and it can be performed laparoscopically.
