Stapling the bougie in sleeve gastrectomy: video

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy has become the most popular bariatric surgical operation. Based on the lesser curvature, the sleeve is created with endo-staplers, which separate the lesser curvature longitudinally and vertically from the rest of the stomach, including the greater curvature. The use of a bougie (a medical instrument used in an esophageal dilation) helps to calibrate the diameter of the sleeve. Intraoperative bougie stapling is a serious complication that should be prevented; when it happens, correction is mandatory. We present 3 cases with a video. (C) 2016 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. All rights reserved.