laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy; morbid obesity; bariatric surgery; natural orifice specimen extraction

OBJECTIVE: An experience with laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy using the natural orifice specimen extraction (NOSE) technique. BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery is nowadays the only long term effective obesity treatment method. METHODS: Twenty one consecutive patients underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy with the use of natural orifice specimen extraction (NOSE) in the Surgical Clinic of Faculty Hospital Ostrava between May 2012 and August 2012. Inclusion criteria were the body mass index (BMI) higher than 35 kg/m(2) or higher than 32 kg/m2 accompanied with relevant comorbidities. RESULTS: Among 21 patients in this series, there were three men (14.3 %) and 18 women (85.7 %). Their mean age was 40.9 +/- 10.2 years.