We started doing Gastric sleeve in 2006!!

I received a phone call from a lady a few months ago wondering how long ago had I been doing Gastric Sleeve because a couple of doctors told her that they had 8 years doing it and therefore they had very much experience on that procedure... I was shocked!!

Some history about Sleeve Procedure:

It was first done as part of a surgical procedure called "BPD-DS" meaning Bilio-Pancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch in 1988 for weight control as an Open Surgery.

Cirangle in California in 2004 reported 20 full laparoscopic Gastric Sleeves in high risk patients but Gagner and Milone were the first to bring the Gastric Sleeve to the Laparoscopic Bariatric World in 2005 as we all know it now!!!!!

Soon after 2005 several teams started Gastric Sleeves' programs as primary or solitary surgical procedure for weight loss or as the first of two steps in very high risk patients wanting GBP or BPD.

There were 3 teams seriously performing gastric sleeves at that time, one at the Cleveland Clinic in Miami, the second in Australia and the one I got involved with was in Sao Paolo, Brazil when I was visiting my friend Dr. Almino.

The first sleeve gastrectomy done by our group in Monterrey, Mexico was in June 2006 and by July we performed the sleeve to a Mexican Artist and we were out on the News and TV all over Mexico so people and specially the Mexican Surgeons started getting interested in the Sleeve procedure as an option for weight loss.

Early last year (2007), after the promising results for weight loss, other Medical Publications and Reports show a great improvement for “METABOLIC DISEASE” as Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood pressure and Hiper-cholesterolemy.

Many Doctors claim to be the PIONEERS on Lap Band and Gastric Sleeve.

I hope this clarifies the concepts of being a Pioneer....

Dr. Arturo Rodriguez
http://arturorodriguezmd.com