Abstract
Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is known to be a safe and effective procedure for treating morbid obesity and is performed with increasing frequency both in Europe and the USA. Despite its broad use, many questions about the remaining gastric tube diameter, its long-term efficacy, its effects on gastric emptying, and the hormones involved still remain to be answered. In order to use such a relatively new surgical procedure wisely, it is essential for every surgeon and physician to understand how sleeve gastrectomy acts in obesity and what its potential benefits on the patients’ metabolism are. This review focuses on the most important pathophysiologic questions referred to sleeve gastrectomy on the literature so far, in an attempt to evaluate the different issues still pending on the subject.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Clinical Issues Committee of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Position statement: sleeve gastrectomy as a bariatric procedure. Surg Obes Rel Dis. 2007;3:573–6.
Deitel M, Crosby R, Gagner M. The first international consensus summit for sleeve gastrectomy (SG), New York City, October 25–27, 2007. Obes Surg. 2008;18:487–96.
Mognol P, Chosidow D, Marmuse J. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy as an initial bariatric operation for high-risk patients: initial results in 10 patients. Obes Surg. 2005;15:1030–3.
Lee CM, Cirangle PT, Jossart GH. Vertical gastrectomy for morbid obesity in 216 patients: report of two-year results. Surg Endosc. 2007;21:1810–6.
Himpens J, Dapri G, Cadiere G. A prospective randomized study between laparoscopic gastric banding and laparoscopic isolated sleeve gastrectomy: results after 1 and 3 years. Obes Surg. 2006;16:1450–6.
Han MS, Kim WW, Oh JH. Results of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) at 1 year in morbidly obese Korean patients. Obes Surg. 2005;15:1469–75.
Moy J, Pomp A, Dakin A, et al. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for morbid obesity. Am J Surg. 2008;196:e56–9.
Akkary E, Duffy A, Bell R. Deciphering the sleeve: technique, indications, efficacy, and safety of sleeve gastrectomy. Obes Surg. 2008;18:1323–9.
Frezza E. Laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy for morbid obesity: the future procedure of choice? Surg Today. 2007;37:275–81.
Langer F, Bohdjalian A, Felberbauer F, et al. Does gastric dilatation limit the success of sleeve gastrectomy as a sole operation for morbid obesity? Obes Surg. 2006;16:166–71.
Roa PE, Kaidar-Person O, Pinto D, et al. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy as treatment for morbid obesity: technique and short-term outcomes. Obes Surg. 2006;16:1323–6.
Milone L, Strong V, Gagner M. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is superior to endoscopic intragastric balloon as a first stage procedure for super-obese patients (BMI ≥ 50). Obes Surg. 2005;15:612–7.
Perikh M, Gagner M, Heacock L. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: does bougie size affect mean %EWL? Short-term outcomes. Surg Obes Rel Dis. 2008;4:528–33.
Jacobs M, Bisland W, Gomez E, et al. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a retrospective review of 1- and 2- years results. Surg Endosc. 2010;24:781–85. doi:10.1007/s00464-009-0619-8.
Frezza EE, Chiriva-Internati M, Wachtel MS. Analysis of the results of sleeve gastrectomy for morbid obesity and the role of ghrelin. Surg Today. 2008;38:481–3.
Weiner RA, Weiner S, Pomhoff I, et al. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy—influence of sleeve size and resected gastric volume. Obes Surg. 2007;17:1297–305.
Baltasar A, Serra C, Perez N, et al. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a multi-purpose bariatric operation. Obes Surg. 2005;15:1124–8.
Yehoshua RT, Eidelman LA, Stein M, et al. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy—volume and pressure assessment. Obes Surg. 2008;18:1083–8.
Schwartz GJ, McHugh PR, Moran TH. Gastric loads and cholecystokinin synergistically stimulate rat gastric vagal afferents. Am J Physiol. 1993;265:R872–6.
Piessevaux H, Coulie B, Caenepeel P, et al. Role of impaired gastric accommodation to a meal in functional dyspepsia. Gastroenterology. 1998;115:1346–52.
Gagner M, Deitel M, Kalberer TL, et al. Symposium review: the second international consensus summit for sleeve gastrectomy, March 19–21, 2009. Surg Obes Rel Dis. 2009;5:476–85.
Gagner M, Rogula T. Laparoscopic reoperative sleeve gastrectomy for poor weight loss after biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. Obes Surg. 2003;13:649–54.
Keidar A, Appelbaum L, Schweiger C, et al. Dilated upper sleeve can be associated with severe postoperative gastroesophageal dysmotility and reflux. Obes Surg. 2010;20:140–7.
Dapri G, Cadiere G, Himpens J. Laparoscopic seromyotomy for long stenosis after sleeve gastrectomy with or without duodenal switch. Obes Surg. 2009;19:495–9.
Baltasar A, Serra C, Pérez N, et al. Re-sleeve gastrectomy. Obes Surg. 2006;16:1535–8.
Greenstein AJ, Vine AJ, Jacob BP. When sleeve gastrectomy fails: adding a laparoscopic adjustable gastric band to increase restriction. Surg Endosc. 2009;23:884.
Miguel GP, Azevedo JL, Gicovate Neto C, et al. Glucose homeostasis and weight loss in morbidly obese patients undergoing banded sleeve gastrectomy: a prospective clinical study. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2009;64:1093–8.
le Roux CW, Aylwin SJ, Batterham RL, et al. Gut hormone profiles following bariatric surgery favor an anorectic state, facilitate weight loss, and improve metabolic parameters. Ann Surg. 2006;243:108–14.
Schwartz MW, Woods SC, Porte D Jr, et al. Central nervous system control of food intake. Nature. 2000;404:661–71.
Wren AM, Seal LJ, Cohen MA, et al. Ghrelin enhances appetite and increases food intake in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;86:5992–5.
Nagaya N, Kojima M, Uematsu M, et al. Hemodynamic and hormonal effects of human ghrelin in healthy volunteers. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2001;280:R1483–7.
Horvath TL, Diano S, Sotonyi P, et al. Ghrelin and the regulation of energy balance: a hypothalamic perspective. Endocrinology. 2001;142:4163–9.
Hansen TK, Dall R, Hosoda H, et al. Weight loss increases circulating levels of ghrelin in human obesity. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2002;56:203–6.
Tolle V, Kadem M, Bluet-Pajot MT, et al. Balance in ghrelin and leptin plasma levels in anorexia nervosa patients and constitutionally thin women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003;88:109–16.
Shimizu Y, Nagaya N, Isobe T, et al. Increased plasma ghrelin level in lung cancer cachexia. Clin Cancer Res. 2003;9:774–8.
Date Y, Murakami N, Toshinai K, et al. The role of the gastric afferent vagal nerve in ghrelin-induced feeding and growth hormone secretion in rats. Gastroenterology. 2002;123:1120–8.
Nakazato M, Murakami N, Date Y, et al. A role for ghrelin in the central regulation of feeding. Nature. 2001;409:194–8.
Cummings DE, Purnell JQ, Frayo RS, et al. A preprandial rise in plasma ghrelin levels suggests a role in meal initiation in humans. Diabetes. 2001;50:1714–9.
Tschöp M, Smiley DL, Heiman ML. Ghrelin induces adiposity in rodents. Nature. 2000;407:908–13.
Asakawa A, Inui A, Kaga T, et al. Ghrelin is an appetite stimulatory signal from stomach with structural resemblance to motilin. Gastroenterology. 2001;120:337–45.
Masuda Y, Tanaka T, Inomata N, et al. Ghrelin stimulates gastric acid secretion and motility in rats. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2000;276:905–8.
Wren AM, Small CJ, Ward HL, et al. The novel hypothalamic peptide ghrelin stimulates food intake and GH secretion. Endocrinology. 2000;141:4325–8.
Pardina E, Lopez-Tejero MD, Llamas R, et al. Ghrelin and apolipoprotein AIV levels show opposite trends to leptin levels during weight loss in morbidly obese patients. Obes Surg. 2009;19:1414–23.
Lin E, Gletsu N, Fugate K, et al. Ghrelin levels in the morbidly obese. Arch Surg. 2004;139:780–4.
Tschöp M, Viswanath D, Weyer C, et al. Circulating ghrelin levels are decreased in human obesity. Diabetes. 2001;50:707–9.
Shiiya T, Nakazato M, Mizuta M, et al. Plasma ghrelin levels in lean and obese humans and the effect of glucose on ghrelin secretion. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002;87:240–4.
van Dielen FM, van't Veer C, Buurman WA, et al. Leptin and soluble leptin receptor levels in obese and weight-losing individuals. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002;87:1708–16.
Ybarra J, Bobbioni-Harsch E, Chassot G, et al. Persistent correlation of ghrelin plasma levels with body mass index both in stable weight conditions and during gastric-bypass-induced weight loss. Obes Surg. 2009;19:327–31.
Ariyasu H, Takaya K, Tagami T, et al. Stomach is a major source of circulating ghrelin, and feeding state determines plasma ghrelin-like immunoreactivity levels in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;86:4753–8.
Moller N, Nygren J, Hansen TK, et al. Splachnic release of ghrelin in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003;88:850–2.
Lee HM, Wang G, Englander EW, et al. Ghrelin, a new gastrointestinal endocrine peptide that stimulates insulin secretion: enteric distribution, ontogeny, influence of endocrine, and dietary manipulations. Endocrinology. 2002;143:185–90.
Cummings DE, Weigle DS, Frayo RS, et al. Plasma ghrelin levels after diet induced weight loss or gastric bypass surgery. N Engl J Med. 2002;346:1623–30.
Langer F, Reza Hoda M, Bohdjalian A, et al. Sleeve gastrectomy and gastric banding: effects on plasma ghrelin levels. Obes Surg. 2005;15:1024–9.
Wang Y, Liu J. Plasma ghrelin modulation in gastric band operation and sleeve gastrectomy. Obes Surg. 2009;19:357–62.
Adami GF, Cordera R, Marinari G, et al. Plasma ghrelin concentration in the short-term following biliopancreatic diversion. Obes Surg. 2003;13:889–92.
Karamanakos SN, Vagenas K, Kalfarentzos F, et al. Weight loss, appetite suppression, and changes in fasting and postprandial ghrelin and peptide-YY levels after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy: a prospective, double blind study. Ann Surg. 2008;247:401–7.
Hyland NP, Pittman QJ, Sharkey KA. Peptide YY containing enteroendocrine cells and peripheral tissue sensitivity to PYY and PYY(3-36) are maintained in diet-induced and diet-resistant rats. Peptides. 2007;28:1185–90.
Wapnir RA, Teichberg S. Regulation mechanisms of intestinal secretion: implications in nutrient absorption. J Nutr Biochem. 2002;13:190–9.
Koda S, Date Y, Murakami N, et al. The role of the vagal nerve in peripheral PYY 3-36-induced feeding reduction in rats. Endocrinology. 2005;146:2369–75.
Batterham RL, Cohen MA, Ellis SM, et al. Inhibition of food intake in obese subjects by peptide YY(3-36). N Engl J Med. 2003;349:941–8.
Spiller RC. Effects of serotonin on intestinal secretion and motility. Curr Opin Gastrenterol. 2001;17:99–103.
Boey D, Heilbronn L, Sainsbury A, et al. Low serum PYY is linked to insulin resistance in first-degree relatives of subjects with type 2 diabetes. Neuropeptides. 2006;40:317–24.
Jackson PJ, Douglas NR, Chai B, et al. Structural and molecular evolutionary analysis of agouti and agouti-related proteins. Chem Biol. 2006;13:1297–305.
Cone RD. Anatomy and regulation of the central melanocortin system. Nat Neurosci. 2005;8:571–8.
Banks WA, Kastin AJ, Huang W, et al. Leptin enters the brain by a saturable system independent of insulin. Peptides. 1996;17:305–11.
Kotidis E, Koliakos G, Baltzopoulos V, et al. Serum ghrelin, leptin and adiponectin levels before and after weight loss: comparison of three methods of treatment—a prospective study. Obes Surg. 2006;16:1425–32.
Kohno D, Nakata M, Maekawa F, et al. Leptin suppresses ghrelin-induced activation of neuropeptide Y neurons in the arcuate nucleus via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase- and phosphodiesterase 3-mediated pathway. Endocrinology. 2007;148:2251–63.
Wickremesekera K, Miller G, Naotunne TD, et al. Loss of insulin resistance after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery: a time course study. Obes Surg. 2005;15:474–81.
Ballantyne GH, Farkas D, Laker S, et al. Short-term changes in insulin resistance following weight loss surgery for morbid obesity: laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding versus laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Obes Surg. 2006;16:1189–97.
Adami GF, Cordera R, Camerini G, et al. Recovery of insulin sensitivity in obese patients at short term after biliopancreatic diversion. J Surg Res. 2003;113:217–21.
Sarson DL, Scopinaro N, Bloom SR. Gut hormone changes after jejunoileal (JIB) or biliopancreatic (BPB) bypass surgery for morbid obesity. Int J Obes. 1981;5:471–80.
Vidal J, Ibarzabal A, Romero F, et al. Type 2 diabetes mellitus and the metabolic syndrome following sleeve gastrectomy in severely obese subjects. Obes Surg. 2008;18:1077–82.
Silecchia G, Boru C, Pecchia A, et al. Effectiveness of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (first stage of biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch) on co-morbidities in super-obese high-risk patients. Obes Surg. 2006;16:1138–44.
Rizzello M, Abbatini F, Casella G, et al. Early postoperative insulin-resistance changes after sleeve gastrectomy. Obes Surg. 2010;20:50–5.
Yada T, Dezaki K, Sone H, et al. Ghrelin regulates insulin release and glycemia: physiological role and therapeutic potential. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2008;4:18–23.
Bergmann JF, Chassany O, Petit A, et al. Correlation between echographic gastric emptying and appetite: influence of psyllium. Gut. 1992;33:1042–3.
Verdich C, Madsen JL, Toubro S, et al. Effect of obesity and major weight reduction on gastric emptying. Int J Obes. 2000;24:899–905.
Mason EE. Gastric emptying controls type 2 diabetes mellitus. Obes Surg. 2006;17:853–5.
Naslund E, Backman L, Holst H, et al. Importance of small bowel peptides for improved glucose metabolism 20 years after jejunoileal bypass for obesity. Obes Surg. 1998;8:253–60.
Flatt PR, Green BD. Nutrient regulation of pancreatic β-cell function in diabetes: problems and potentional solutions. Biochem Soc Trans. 2006;34:774–8.
Flint A, Raben A, Astrup A, et al. Glucagon-like peptide 1 promotes satiety and suppresses energy intake in humans. J Clin Invest. 1998;101:515–20.
Pereferrer FS, Gonzàlez MH, Rovira AF, et al. Influence of sleeve gastrectomy on several experimental models of obesity: metabolic and hormonal implications. Obes Surg. 2008;18:97–108.
Melissas J, Koukouraki S, Askoxylakis J, et al. Sleeve gastrectomy: a restrictive procedure? Obes Surg. 2007;17:57–62.
Bernstine H, Tzioni-Yehoshua R, Groshar D, et al. Gastric emptying is not affected by sleeve gastrectomy—scintigraphic evaluation of gastric emptying after sleeve gastrectomy without removal of the gastric antrum. Obes Surg. 2009;19:293–8.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
The authors have no commercial interest in the subject of study and the source of any financial or material support.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Papailiou, J., Albanopoulos, K., Toutouzas, K.G. et al. Morbid Obesity and Sleeve Gastrectomy: How Does It Work?. OBES SURG 20, 1448–1455 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-010-0148-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-010-0148-5