FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Recently, a Fort Wayne surgeon completed a surgical weight-loss procedure that Lutheran Health Network described as the first one of its kind to be done in the area.

Dr. Emanuel Nearing II, a board-certified surgeon who specializes in weight loss surgery, completed a robotic sleeve gastrectomy procedure at Lutheran Downtown Hospital alongside the hospital’s surgical team.

A sleeve gastrectomy procedure involves removing a portion of the stomach, which leaves a stomach “sleeve” that is roughly one-third of the size of a normal stomach.

The new stomach helps patients feel satisfied after eating smaller portions of food and also causes changes in hormones that work to promote a feeling of fullness, according to Lutheran Health Network.

“The majority of patients who have bariatric surgery permanently lose more than half of their excess weight while also eliminating or reducing the risk of other chronic conditions,” Nearing said.

Lutheran Health Network said robotic-assisted surgery is a minimally invasive approach that can be the “most-effective, least-invasive” option for certain procedures.