All You Need to Know About Gastric Sleeve Surgery
A relatively straight forward procedure, gastric sleeve surgery is the most common bariatric procedure undertaken in Australia and has been proven to contribute to significant weight loss (estimated at around 65-85% reduction in excess weight over two years) when patients follow the recommended diet afterwards.
Also known as a sleeve gastrectomy, the greatest benefit the surgery offers is weight loss through restriction. Following the procedure, patients will feel satisfied after eating smaller meals and less of the hunger hormone Ghrelin is produced, which is expected to reduce many cravings or hunger signals that contribute to snacking and spontaneous food choices.
Patients may also achieve better gut health, with gut bacteria, hormones and the concentration of bile acids becoming more balanced after surgery.
FAQs
Gastric sleeves reduce about 80% of the stomach volume with a stapling device. This is usually achieved through keyhole surgery and leaves a stomach shaped like a tube or ‘sleeve’, instead of a sack, with a capacity of about 200mls or less.
It is suitable for patients with irritable bowel syndrome and other conditions associated with diarrhoea as the procedure has less impact on bowel habit. Malnutrition is less of a concern in a sleeve compared with bypass.
Complications of gastric sleeve surgery are uncommon with an estimated 5% developing an infection and 2% causing a hernia. Other risks (0.5-1% of surgeries) include blood clots, excessive bleeding, leakage from the staple line, possible fistula (ulcers) and the need for a splenectomy (surgical removal of the spleen).
Gastric sleeve side effects can also include reflux, brought on by high pressure within the sleeve, which can lead to other issues and require more surgery. A hiatus hernia is often a problem that makes reflux worse and if you have one at the time of surgery it will be repaired in order to help with reflux.
Most patients spend one night in hospital but a few stay two.
Once home, a liquid diet must be strictly followed for two weeks. Some patients may need to continue a blood thinner injection for the same period.
Our clinical nurse will contact you after a few days to check in and will arrange to see you in the clinic about two weeks post-surgery.
Our expert team will guide you through your new restrictions which include taking 4-6 smaller meals each day and not eating and drinking at the same time. Following surgery, it is also important to sip fluids constantly to avoid dehydration.
Gastric sleeve surgery offers many advantages including a reduction of about 60-80% of excess weight over the first 1-2 years. Malabsorption of nutrients is minimal, as is dumping syndrome, a condition involving the rapid onset of abdominal cramps and diarrhoea after eating that can develop after some bariatric surgeries.
A disadvantage of the surgery is that restriction decreases over time, which could contribute to weight regain. It is important to use a sleeve as an opportunity to develop healthy habits and food behaviours to keep the weight off after that time.
Some reasons that this may be considered a better option than a bypass include being extremely obese and/or spending time regularly away from the metropolitan centres.
The total gastric sleeve surgery cost may comprise of the Medicare rebate, a private health fund rebate, and an out-of-pocket cost.
We are committed to providing an accurate assessment of your situation from the initial consult, complete with an explanation of all charges involved. We charge a once-off, all-inclusive fee that covers the costs involved from the day of your initial consultation through to post-operative care.
More information on our weight loss surgery costs can be found here.
To find out which weight loss solution is best for your true health, contact our friendly team to request a call or book a consultation today.
