Gastric sleeve, also known as sleeve gastrectomy, is a surgery that reduces the size of the stomach and makes it into a narrow tube. The new stomach is much smaller and produces less of the hormone (ghrelin) that causes hunger, helping you feel satisfied with less food.

Sleeve gastrectomy is safer than gastric bypass because the intestines are not rearranged, and there is less chance of malnutrition. It also appears to control hunger better than lap banding. It might be safer than the lap banding because no foreign materials are used.

The gastric sleeve has a good success rate, and people lose an average of 33 percent of their excess body weight in the first year. For a person who is 120 pounds overweight, this would mean losing about 40 pounds in the first year.