Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for morbid obesity

The incidence of obesity is steadily rising, and it has been estimated that 40% of the US population will be obese by the year 2025 if the current trend continues. In recent years there has been renewed interest in the surgical treatment of morbid obesity in concomitance with the epidemic of obesity. Bariatric surgery proved effective in providing weight loss of large magnitude, correction of comorbidities and excellent short-term and long-term outcomes, decreasing overall mortality and providing a marked survival advantage. The Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG) has increased in popularity and is currently very "trendy" among laparoscopic Surgeons involved in bariatric surgery. As LSG proved to be effective in achieving considerable weight loss in the shortterm, it has been proposed by some as a sole bariatric procedure. This editorial focuses on the particular advantages of LSG in the treatment of morbid obesity. (C) 2008 WJG. All rights reserved.