Vertical sleeve gastrectomy is a type of bariatric surgery that is performed to assist very obese people with rapid weight loss. The procedure is performed using a laparoscope and then by removing the stomach and constructing an extremely small pouch for food. The food then travels to the intestines in the normal manner so there is no malabsorption to be concerned about with this surgery. This is an alternative to the lap band surgery.

This type of surgery is only performed by a small number of physicians all around the world. It was designed to offer higher percentages of weight loss to people who have a very high BMI (50-60). The surgery has been successfully performed on people who weigh up to 500 pounds. People who are in this category are at a much higher risk when considering other procedures such as the gastric bypass. The amount of weight loss is much greater than that of the gastric bypass as well. These two facts make this type of procedure much more alluring for extremely heavy people who want this done.

Weight loss has been reported to be more than 100 pounds in most people who have had this procedure done. Weight loss up to 200 pounds has been documented as well. This extreme amount of weight can lead to significantly improved health related issues.

The vertical gastrectomy can be performed on people who have lower BMI’s (35-40) as well. This is a viable alternative to the lap band procedure for people who are concerned about having a device left in their abdominal cavity. This was studied in England and reported that the procedure was still considered safe and effective for as long as five years after the surgery was performed.

This procedure should be considered for people who have other health issues that make a traditional type of surgery much more risky. These include anemia, Crohn’s disease, extensive medical issues or those who have had extensive prior surgeries.

In addition, people who are required to take anti-inflammatory drugs may want to consider this procedure as those who have had gastric bypass cannot take these types of drugs due to the possibility of them developing gastric or bleeding ulcers after the surgery.

Some of the advantages to this surgery are that the stomach is reduced however there is no bypass in the intestines which make digestion continue normally. This stops concerns about malabsorption of nutrients due to this.

The chance of developing ulcers is very small with this surgery compared to the gastric bypass. This is very successful for people who have an extremely high BMI. The procedure can be done with a laparoscope which reduces hospital stays considerably. It is a viable alternative for people who have health concerns that may preclude them having a gastric bypass.

Some of the risks or side effects that need to be considered include the potential for ineffective weight loss since intestinal bypass is not utilized in this procedure. Some soft foods can be absorbed with this procedure and may slow down a person’s weight loss. This type of procedure involves removing the stomach which cannot be reversed.