Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Sustained weight loss after sleeve gastrectomy (gastric sleeve surgery) can transform your life.

• Energy levels may improve
• Problems with joint pain and mobility may be improved.
• Current medical problems may be resolved or improved.
• You will have a decreased risk of diseases such as diabetes, heart attack, stroke and cancers.

The effect of the sleeve gastrectomy is that you can eat a very small meal, feel full and satisfied and the hunger you would currently feel after eating such a small meal does not occur.

The sleeve works where dieting alone has not, for two reasons. First, the smaller stomach means a small meal leaves you genuinely full and satisfied. Second, the portion of the stomach that is removed produces much of the hormone that drives hunger, so the constant urge to eat is reduced rather than fought. You can read more about hunger hormones after weight loss surgery on our blog.

Most weight is lost in the first 12 to 18 months. Long term success then depends on the eating habits and lifestyle built with our dietitian, psychologist and exercise professional, supported by our comprehensive follow up program. This combination is what makes the result sustainable.

Sleeve gastrectomy is generally considered when your BMI is 35 or above, or 30 or above with a weight related health condition such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea, high cholesterol, gout or liver disease. For people of Asian descent, lower thresholds apply: a BMI of 32.5 or above, or 27.5 or above with a weight related condition.

BMI is only the starting point. Your overall health, weight history and readiness for long term lifestyle change are all assessed by our surgeons and multidisciplinary team. No GP referral is needed to book a consultation, although a referral entitles you to a Medicare rebate and we can help you arrange one.

Check your eligibility with our BMI calculator

When assessing the risks of surgery you must also consider and balance the risks of not having the surgery and remaining significantly overweight which can include an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some cancers.

When comparing costs, please be aware that our costs include all of the following:

• Initial consultation with Surgeon
• Pre-operative assessment with Specialist Physician
• Clinical Psychologist consultation
• Dietitian consultations inclusive of 1 x pre-operative, 3 x post-operative appointments
• Exercise professional consultation after surgery
• Surgeon and Assistant Surgeon
• Access to on-call Surgeon at all times
• Comprehensive after care at Medicare rebate

Our sleeve gastrectomy surgeries are performed only in Private Hospitals. The costs of surgery can vary according to your particular private health cover and Medicare rebates. It may be possible to fund out of pocket costs from your Superannuation.

We now also offer a uninsured option for selected patients having a Sleeve Gastrectomy.

See if you are eligible for the Sleeve Gastrectomy, and check out our quote generator here:

On average, sleeve gastrectomy patients lose 60 to 70 per cent of their excess weight within the first 12 to 18 months. For example, a patient carrying 50kg of excess weight would typically lose 30 to 35kg. Beyond the scales, conditions such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea, high blood pressure and joint pain often improve or resolve. Individual results vary, and a small number of patients regain some weight later, which is why our long term follow up matters.

Most patients stay in hospital for one to two nights after sleeve gastrectomy. You can typically return to light activities within two weeks and resume normal activities, including work in most occupations, within four to six weeks. Because the operation is performed as keyhole surgery, recovery is significantly faster and less painful than open surgery. Our nurse reviews you 7 to 10 days after the operation and our team supports you throughout your recovery.

Eating after a sleeve gastrectomy progresses in stages, guided by our bariatric dietitian. You begin with fluids, move to pureed foods, then soft foods, over approximately four to six weeks, before settling into a normal healthy diet in small portions. Your new stomach holds around 150 to 250mL, so a small meal leaves you full and satisfied.

Daily multivitamins are strongly recommended for life to prevent deficiencies, and you will see our dietitian at one to two weeks, three months and six months after surgery to keep your nutrition on track.

Most Gold tier hospital policies that include weight loss surgery cover sleeve gastrectomy. If you are taking out or upgrading cover, a waiting period, usually 12 months for pre existing conditions, generally applies before you can claim. Medicare item numbers apply and contribute to the rebates available.

If you do not have private health insurance, our uninsured sleeve gastrectomy package is available to selected patients, and it may be possible to fund out of pocket costs through the compassionate release of superannuation. Our team can help you understand your cover and confirm your costs before you commit to anything.

Our experienced surgeons can discuss the Sleeve Gastrectomy or other weight loss surgery with you at our Dandenong North, Berwick, Frankston, Warragul or Cranbourne locations. See addresses for our locations here.

At LapSurgery, long before your operation takes place, you will undergo a comprehensive assessment of your health so that we can identify any risks and minimise these.

If, after your initial visit to the surgeon, you decide to go ahead with surgery we will arrange a comprehensive set of blood tests and an appointment with a specialist physician experienced in preparing patients for surgery and minimising any risks. Patients with severe obesity will often have other conditions related to their weight (comorbidities) which, in many cases, can increase the risks of surgery. Poorly treated high blood pressure, poorly controlled diabetes, untreated sleep apnoea, vitamin deficiencies, urine infections and cardiac problems are often present and these must be treated properly before surgery. Sometimes this will involve other tests such as sleep tests, blood pressure monitoring and heart tests before we can go ahead with the surgery. The very high safety levels with which we perform this sort of surgery are very dependent on this initial thorough investigation and optimisation of treatment of comorbidities before surgery takes place.

One of the risks of this sort of surgery, often not listed in the usual complications, is the lack of education and understanding of both the pre-operative preparation and the post-operative management of your lifestyle and dietary habits. We have a dietitian at LapSurgery to educate and supervise your weight loss journey. We are also very aware that years of frustration with your weight problems, and some of the prejudice you will have faced about your weight, can have an effect on your mental well-being and so all patients are seen initially by our psychologist as part of the assessment. Follow up counselling is available should you wish.

Prior to surgery we require the following appointments:

• Initial consult with Surgeon
• Pre-operative assessment by Specialist Physician
• Consultation with our bariatric dietitian
• Consultation with our psychologist

You will also have the following:

• Consultation with the pre-admission nurse of the hospital
• Final consultation with your surgeon 1 week prior to the surgery

Our surgery package after Sleeve Gastrectomy (Gastric Sleeve) Surgery also includes:

• Post-operative appointment with our in-house nurse (7-10 days post op)
• Dietitian (1-2 weeks post op)
• Surgeon review (5-6 weeks post op)
• Exercise professional review (4 months post op)
• Dietitian (3 and 6 months post op)
• Specialist Physician review with comprehensive blood test (6-12 months post op)

We also offer an “uninsured” option to selected patients for sleeve gastrectomy surgery, without private health insurance covering bariatric surgery. We are committed to providing comprehensive, best practice, high quality care to our patients. That's why our package price includes cover for return visits to hospital (for specific surgery related problems) within 28 days of your surgery, giving you unparalleled peace of mind. The uninsured package has all of our usual inclusions like consultations with your surgeon, physician, psychologist, dietitian and exercise professional. See our pricing for private health insurance or uninsured options here.

*Uninsured option is available only for some patients for sleeve gastrectomy surgery, in specific hospitals. Please contact us to find out if you qualify.

What you have read above is a summary of the operation of sleeve gastrectomy. This is not sufficient information in itself and every aspect of the surgery, the preparation and the possible complications are always specific to an individual and must be discussed at length with your surgeon.

Good results are only achieved when you, the patient, are well informed and educated about the procedure and the operation is done by a dedicated, experienced multidisciplinary team such as we provide at LapSurgery.