Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

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Key Facts:

Gastric sleeve surgery removes a large portion of your stomach, around 80%.

It helps restrict your portion size to about ½ cup (125 ml) each meal and reduce your hunger.

The average weight loss is 30% of your total weight, or 60% of your excess weight.

Why This Surgery?

Sleeve gastrectomy is a proven treatment for people with obesity. It is generally recommended if:

Your body mass index (BMI) is ≥35, or
Your BMI is ≥30 and you have obesity-related health problems (e.g., diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea).

Expected Benefits

Weight Loss

1
On average, patients lose about 60% of their excess weight in the first year.
2
Some achieve more, especially with healthy eating and regular exercise.
3
Weight loss usually continues for about 12 months, making this an important time to focus on building healthy habits.

Improvement in Obesity-Related Conditions

Many health problems improve with weight loss, such as:

Your GP and specialists may need to adjust your medications as your health improves.

Risks and Possible Complications

All operations carry some risk. For sleeve gastrectomy, the key risks include:

Short-Term (First Few Weeks)

Leak: Rare but serious. Fluid escapes from the stapled stomach and may require additional procedures, longer hospital stays, and slower recovery.
Bleeding: Rare; may need a blood transfusion or additional surgery.
Anaesthetic risks: Such as allergic reactions (very uncommon).
Death: Extremely rare (about 1 in 1,000 in Australia).

Medium to Long-Term

Heartburn/reflux: Some patients experience new or worsened reflux. Most manage this with medication; a few may need another procedure.
Persistent nausea/vomiting: Uncommon. Usually improves with time, dietary changes, or minor treatments.
Weight regain: Some patients may regain weight over time. Continued healthy eating, portion control, and follow-up support are essential.
Nutritional deficiencies: Rare if you take recommended vitamins and attend regular check-ups.

Other Considerations

Temporary hair thinning (often improves within months)
Possible food intolerances
Extra skin after weight loss (may need later surgery if bothersome)
Avoid pregnancy for at least 12–18 months after surgery; use reliable contraception
Stop smoking at least 6 weeks before surgery and do not restart
Avoid alcohol for at least 1 month before and 3 months after surgery

What the Operation Involves

Gastroscopy: We may check the inside of your stomach at the start of surgery.
Keyhole approach: Usually five small cuts in the abdomen. Rarely, a larger cut may be needed.
Duration: About 40 minutes.
Hospital stay: 1–3 nights.

Recovery

1–2 weeks off work.
Avoid heavy lifting (>5 kg) and strenuous exercise for 4 weeks.

Stomach Size After Surgery

At first: Very small (about ¼ cup). Eating too quickly or too much may cause discomfort, nausea, or vomiting.
Later: Gradually increases to about ½ cup. Keeping portions small helps prevent stretching of the stomach.

After Surgery

Pain and nausea are usually mild and improve within days.
Avoid driving for the first week.
Follow your dietary plan closely.
Attend all scheduled follow-ups.

Credit line: “© Dr Levent Efe, courtesy of IFSO”

At ECBS, we’ve performed thousands of gastric sleeve and bypass surgeries with excellent safety and long-term outcomes. Our surgeons are also involved in training the next generation of bariatric specialists in public hospitals.

If you’re considering weight loss surgery, we encourage you to book a consultation with one of our experienced surgeons. We’ll take the time to understand your needs and help you decide if this is the right step for you.

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Are you having health problems? Contact us today!

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