This is a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy being performed on a male patient with a Body Mass Index of 49 who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure. It was performed by obesity surgeon Dr Craig Taylor of OClinic in Sydney in April 2010. It works by reducing the size of the stomach and removing the cells that make the hunger hormone Ghrelin. After surgery, patients feel much less hungry, and are satisfied by small meals. There are no vitamin or malnutrition risks, as everything that is eaten still passes through the gastrointestinal track in the normal way to be absorbed. The main risk of this procedure is leaks from the staple line during the first 2 weeks- this risk is between 1-4%, and is treated by draining the leak and intravenous antibiotics. The typical patient will lose around 70% of their excess weight in the first year. For more details visit oclinic.com.au or call Sydney (02) 8197 9595