Method for performing a gastrectomy

1. A method of creating a lumen of a desired shape and size in a hollow viscus organ of a patient from tissue of the organ, the method comprising:

providing a template having a flexible tube length with opposite proximal and distal ends;

inserting the template distal end first into the patient's hollow viscus organ;

positioning a portion of the template length against an interior wall of the organ;

demarcating the template's configuration so as to make it easily discernable from outside the organ;

affixing together opposing portions of the organ wall, along a side of the portion of the template length that is opposite the portion of the template length positioned against the interior wall of the organ, thereby creating a lumen of a desired shape and size in the organ from the tissue of the organ, the lumen having an interior configuration that conforms to the portion of the template length;

removing the template from the lumen whereby the lumen has an interior configuration that is without any significant, limiting constriction in the lumen interior configuration or other tenuous area of the lumen interior after the template has been removed.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

creating the lumen as a tubular gastric sleeve from the patient's stomach.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

performing the step of inserting the template distal end by inserting the template distal end first through the esophagus of the patient and then into the patient's stomach.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

performing the step of positioning a portion of the template length by positioning the portion of the template length against the patient's stomach wall, along the stomach lesser curvature.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

performing the step of affixing together opposing portions of the organ wall by affixing together opposing portions of the stomach wall, along a side of the portion of the template length that is opposite the stomach lesser curvature, thereby creating the lumen as a tubular sleeve of the stomach having an interior configuration that conforms to the portion of the template length within the portion of the stomach wall.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

enlarging a portion of an exterior surface of the template before demarcating the template's configuration.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

enlarging the portion of the exterior surface of the template with the enlarged portion of the exterior surface having a larger circumferential dimension adjacent the template distal end and the circumferential dimension of the enlarged portion of the exterior surface becoming smaller as it extends toward the template proximal end.

8. A method of reducing the size of the stomach of a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a tube having a distal end and a proximal end, with said distal end adapted for insertion into the stomach of the patient;

inserting the distal end of the tube through the patient's esophagus and then into the patient's stomach, and disposing the tube along a lesser curve of the stomach;

drawing the stomach toward the tube;

using the tube as a guide, after the stomach has been drawn toward the tube, marking the stomach along a line proximate the tube, opposite the lesser curve;

with the tube disposed within the stomach, and the stomach drawn toward the tube, affixing opposing walls of the stomach along the marked line, opposite the lesser curve; and

withdrawing the tube from the stomach.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:

drawing the stomach toward the tube by applying suction to the stomach through apertures in the distal end of the tube.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:

prior to drawing stomach toward the tube, anchoring a portion of the distal end of the tube in the pyloric valve of the patient.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:

providing a balloon about the distal end of the tube; and

inserting the distal end of the tube through into the patient's stomach such that the balloon is proximate the lesser curve, and

inflating the balloon prior to drawing the stomach toward the tube.