In this surgery, your surgeon will staple and divide your stomach, removing about 80-85 percent of the stomach. The portion of your stomach left after surgery is long and narrow, like the sleeve of a shirt or a small banana. The remainder of your stomach is removed from your body completely, so this surgery is not reversable.
How the Surgery Helps with Weight Loss
- A smaller stomach means smaller food portions. You will only have 15-20 percent of your stomach left, so you will not be able to eat as much food in one sitting as you used to.
- Reduced hunger. The part of your stomach that is removed makes a hormone called ghrelin that makes you feel hungry. Since you make less of this hormone, you may notice less hunger after surgery or that it takes longer to feel hungry.
- Feel full faster and stay full longer. Hormones like GLP-1 and PYY are produced in your gut and can increase after your surgery. These hormones will slow down digestion, reduce hunger, and increase satiety after meals. They may also improve blood sugar control if you have type 2 diabetes.