Mini Gastric Sleeve Surgery Perth

The smaller the bougie used, the smaller the stomach will be post-procedure. A smaller bougie carries more risks than a larger bougie, but it results in greater short term and long term weight loss.

Dr Dolan has designed the smallest bougie available, namely the 34Fr bougie, and can use this for patients who desire greater weight loss in both the short term and long term.

This procedure restricts the amount of food a patient can consume, while reducing the amount of hunger hormone (ghrelin) that the stomach produces. This help patients lose weight by decreasing the amount they can eat and decreases hunger between meals.

Is Mini Gastric Sleeve Surgery Right for Me?

Patients can expect to eat smaller portions and have a reduced appetite following gastric sleeve surgery, which in turn leads to a steady loss of weight over time. By following the postoperative recommendations patients can expect to lose approximately 1 kilogram per week, until their body weight reaches a normal range.

Advantages of Mini Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Mini gastric sleeve surgery has an number of advantages over other bariatric surgery procedures:

• Stomach openings and nerves remain intact and unaltered.
• Your digestive system functions normally, as the only change made is to the size of the stomach itself.
• The section of the stomach responsible for producing the hunger hormone, ghrelin, is removed. This means you will be less hungry post-surgery.
• The procedure for gastric sleeve surgery is laparoscopic, rather than open, meaning it is less invasive, the scarring it leaves will be minimal, and your recovery will be quicker.

What is involved in Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

During the procedure the doctor will:

• Make small incisions in the abdomen.
• Insert specialised surgical tools, including a camera, through the incisions.
• Remove a portion of the lower section of the stomach.
• Use a specialised stapling device to close the sides of the stomach tube (or stomach sleeve) which remains.

Preparing for Mini Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Before the procedure, Dr Dolan will run a series of tests to ensure that patients are ready for surgery. Dr Dolan will go over the specific instructions for preoperative care, but generally, patients will need to:

• Go on a liquid diet a week before surgery.
• Avoid eating after midnight, the day before surgery.
• Ask a friend or family member to be at the hospital for support and comfort.

What to Expect After Mini Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Following surgery patients will need to eat a liquid only diet for two weeks, then a pureed diet for two weeks. Four weeks after surgery, patients should be able to resume eating normal foods.

Patients also need to commit to a healthy lifestyle as part of the recovery and weight loss process. This involves following the plan set out by the surgeon, dietitian and exercise physiologist.

What are the Costs and Funding Options for Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

Gastric sleeve surgery cost will vary from $0 to $6000 out of pocket expenses depending on the complexity of the surgery and the previous surgery weight. Dr Dolan will discuss costs at your first consultation.

Private health insurance and Medicare rebates are available for this procedure and our surgery offers payment plans for patients.

For more costs and information, visit our Costs page.