Plano, TX, – As the benefits of bariatric surgery for promoting weight loss and improving health become more widely known, this option is fast becoming a popular choice to help those considered severely obese shed pounds and prevent serious complications. One surgical procedure, however, is rising above others in its frequency of use. The sleeve gastrectomy has officially topped gastric bypasses in the number performed.

“Although similar to the bypass, the sleeve procedure is less invasive and produces tremendous results for many patients,” says Dr. Nick Nicholson, founder and lead surgeon at the North Texas-based Nicholson Clinic, one of the top weight loss surgery centers in the country. “This alternative has gained in popularity in recent years not only with patients but surgeons who prefer this less dramatic, but still highly effective, option.”

To better understand which bariatric procedures are most commonly performed, the Cleveland Clinic looked at records related to 72,000 patients who underwent bariatric surgery between 2010 and 2013. In 2010, the sleeve procedure only accounted for about 9.3 percent of all bariatric surgeries performed with the gastric bypass holding the top spot at 58.4 percent. By 2013, the sleeve procedure accounted by 49 percent with bypasses only adding up to 43.8 percent.

Sleeve procedures involve the surgical removal of a portion of the stomach. The remaining stomach is reworked into a shape that resembles a banana or sleeve. While this procedure effectively reduces stomach holding capacity to promote weight loss like the bypass, it doesn’t involve the alteration of the digestive system like a bypass does.

“There are a number of different surgical options for weight loss patients and their doctors can consider,” says Dr. Nicholson. “The sleeve procedure is the most popular, but the best choice will depend on a patient’s unique case.”

To find out more about the Nicholson Clinic, its locations and the services it provides, visit it online at www.nicholsonclinic.com.

About Nicholson Clinic
Founded by Dr. Nick Nicholson, one of the country’s leading weight loss surgeons and co-author of “Weight Loss Surgery: The Real Skinny,” the Nicholson Clinic for Weight Loss Surgery offers a variety of options to help patients gain control of their weight and their lives.