VSG?

What is a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy?

A Sleeve Gastrectomy (gastros=stomach, -ectomy=removal), also known as a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, consists of removing roughly 85% of a patient’s stomach leaving a thin tube or banana shaped stomach.  The portion of the stomach that is removed is the rounded, stretchy part, known as the fundus.   Unlike the Roux-en-Y, the pyloric valve is kept in place in a sleeve gastrectomy which helps prevent dumping.
One main advantage of the sleeve gastrectomy is that it reduces the amount of ghrelin produced.  Ghrelin is a hormone produced mainly in the stomach that stimulates appetite.  It has the opposite effect of Leptin. 


This surgery is classified as a restrictive operation, although because of the ghrelin-factor, one could say that it is restrictive + hormonal.  Because of this ghrelin advantage, the sleeve gastrectomy is showing early results that are better than expected for a restrictive-only bariatric procedure.