Stomach Bypass Surgery

The surgeon makes a small pouch at the top of your stomach, about the size of an egg, and joins it straight to your small bowel. Food goes past the rest of your stomach and the first part of the bowel. You feel full after a small meal, you absorb a little less, and the hormones that drive hunger and blood sugar change. It is done through keyhole cuts, or with the robot, and most people go home in 1 to 2 nights.

Yes. The standard bypass, called Roux-en-Y, uses two joins. The mini bypass, also called one anastomosis bypass, uses a longer pouch and a single join, so it is a shorter operation. Both take off a similar amount of weight. If you have reflux we usually suggest the standard bypass, because the single join can let bile reach the pouch. Your surgeon will explain which one fits you.

With adequate private health insurance, $10,000 to $13,000 out of pocket. That covers both surgeons, the physician, the psychologist, the dietitian and the exercise professional. If you have had a band or a sleeve before and need it converted to a bypass, that is $10,000 to $15,000. You get a full written quote at your consultation.

You may be eligible from a BMI of 35, or from 30 if you also have a condition such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea, high cholesterol, gout or liver disease. The numbers are 32.5 and 27.5 for people of Asian descent. If you have reflux or diabetes, the bypass is often the better choice over the sleeve. Use the BMI calculator on this page for a quick answer, then book a consultation to confirm.

Every operation carries some risk, such as bleeding, infection or a reaction to the anaesthetic. The risks particular to a bypass are a leak at one of the joins in about 1 in 100 cases, an ulcer at the join, feeling unwell after sugary food, a twist in the bowel years later, and low vitamins if you stop taking your supplements. Two surgeons at every operation, keyhole and robotic techniques and reporting to the Bariatric Safety Registry all help keep risk low, and we talk through your own risks before you decide.

No. You can book your first appointment without one. A referral is worth getting because it gives you a Medicare rebate on the consultation and some health funds ask for it, and we can help you arrange one if you do not have a GP.

We consult in Dandenong North, Berwick, Frankston, Cranbourne and Warragul, and operate in private hospitals across Melbourne’s south east. Book online, call (03) 9760 2777 or leave your details on this page.