Actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell almost lost her life from a heart attack in 2012. Having struggled with weight issues for much of her life, the former The View co-host knew she needed to make a change if she wanted to watch her children and foster children grow up. That’s why O’Donnell turned to one of the best in the business for weight loss surgery: Dr. Amit Trivedi of Advanced Laparoscopic Associates.

The Gastric Sleeve Procedure

Dr. Trivedi performed a gastric sleeve procedure on O’Donnell. The gastric sleeve, also known as sleeve gastrectomy or vertical sleeve gastrectomy, has overtaken the gastric bypass procedure as the most popular weight loss surgery in the U.S.

The sleeve gastrectomy is a laparoscopic procedure, which means that the incisions and tools used are very small, and the surgeon sees what he or she is doing with the aid of a camera called a laparoscope attached to a video monitor.

The procedure involves removing about 80 percent of the stomach so that the new stomach is approximately the size and shape of a banana. This does two things:

• First, the stomach is smaller, so it holds less food. This means the patient typically consumes fewer calories, leading to weight loss.
• Second, the portion of the stomach that is removed contains most of the cells that produce a hormone called ghrelin. Ghrelin signals to your brain that you’re hungry, so with the majority of the ghrelin-producing cells gone, the brain receives far fewer hunger signals.

“Without those hunger hormones, you don’t get those cravings, you don’t go looking for that large popcorn, and it makes diet and exercise work without a struggle,” Dr. Trivedi told Dr. Mehmet Oz when he and O’Donnell appeared on The Dr. Oz Show in 2015.

O’Donnell’s Weight Loss

Dr. Trivedi performed O’Donnell’s surgery in 2013. Two years later, she was down more than 50 pounds, according to reports. “I can’t even explain to you how different my life is and my brain is in terms of my relationship to food,” O’Donnell told Dr. Oz. “My body is not telling my brain that I’m hungry, so I’m actually not. I’m not thinking about food.”

Weight loss typically occurs quickly and lasts for years, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The procedure is minimally invasive, so recovery times are usually short. Combined with diet and exercise, a sleeve gastrectomy is an excellent solution for long-term weight loss and health enhancement. “It’s not a magic pill at all; it’s a tool that will help you,” O’Donnell said to Dr. Oz.

Weight Loss Surgery From the Experts

If you are interested in a bariatric surgery procedure with surgeon-to-the-stars Dr. Trivedi or any of the equally talented surgical team at Advanced Laparoscopic Associates, sign up for our next free informational seminar. You’ll learn how bariatric surgery can help you live your healthiest life.