Sleeve gastrectomy (tube stomach surgery) is a modern obesity surgery method that accounts for 60% of bariatric procedures worldwide. This minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure involves removing 80% of the stomach using 5-6 small incisions. With the help of a special bougie (36-40F), the stomach is transformed into a banana-shaped narrow tube, and its volume is reduced from 800-1,000 ml to 100-150 ml, limiting daily calorie intake to 800-1,000 calories.

The surgery is typically completed in 45-60 minutes by experienced surgeons, and patients are usually discharged after a 2-3 day hospital stay. During the recovery process, nutrition is gradually adjusted: the first 3 days are clear liquids, days 4-7 are full liquid diet, days 8-14 are puree, days 15-30 are soft foods, and then normal eating is resumed. Patients typically lose 40-50% of their excess weight in the first 6 months and 60-70% within a year.

The most important advantage of sleeve gastrectomy is its low complication risk and strong metabolic effect. A 70-80% reduction in ghrelin hormone levels provides lasting appetite control for 85% of patients. 60% of patients experience type 2 diabetes remission, and 20% see significant improvement. Complication risks are quite low: bleeding 0.5-1%, leakage 0.2-0.5%, and stenosis less than 0.1%. It also has nutritional advantages; most patients only require vitamin D and B12 supplements.