Laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy for adolescents with morbid obesity.

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic, and surgical weight loss operations have been performed for over 20 years. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy was first performed as part of the biliopancreatic diversion over 30 years ago. Recently, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy has led to excellent excess weight loss with limited morbidity, especially compared to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. In adolescents, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is an excellent option to provide excess weight loss and remission of comorbid conditions without long-term malabsorptive risks.