Most insurance companies have been slow to cover sleeve gastrectomy, and often patients must pay for the procedure. In Massachusetts, for example, insurance companies require proof that the band or bypass can’t be done, according to Dr. Jones.
An ASMBS position statement about sleeve gastrectomy noted that there are few published studies about the long-term outcomes of the procedure beyond 5 years (Surg. Obes. Relat. Dis. 2010;6:1-5). "Such long-term data might or might not ultimately confirm that the procedure should remain in the category of a staged treatment intervention," the statement reads.
Some surgeons are applying single-port surgery to sleeve procedures and to LAGB, "but I think that is pretty investigational in terms of technique," Dr. Jones said. "I suspect that the complication profile of these techniques will be more, but we don’t know how much more."
Dr. Jones disclosed that he has received research funding from Covidien, Allergan, and training grants from Covidien and Ethicon.