Weight Loss Procedures

A gastric band is an adjustable silicon device that is placed surgically around the top of the stomach. The band is attached to a piece of tubing that is connected to a small port. The port can be accessed with a needle and water can be injected into the band to alter the tightness of the band.

The procedure to place the gastric band is performed under a general anaesthetic and is normally performed laparoscopically (’keyhole surgery’) usually involving a one night stay in hospital.

The idea of the band is to encourage an eating pattern that allows small portions of food to pass into the part of the stomach above the band (‘the so called ‘pouch’) which will then pass into the rest of the stomach causing a small stretch of the part of the stomach that is in contact with the band. This ‘stretch’ of the stomach sends signals to the brain that induces ‘satiety’ – ie. tells you that you are full up.

Patients will then tend to feel full quicker and therefore eat less than they did before. On average patients will lose 40-50% of their excess weight over a 2 year period.

Learn more about the procedure from our Video Guide.

The gastric bypass is an operation that reduces the size of the stomach and creates a new join between the new stomach ‘pouch’ and the small bowel. Not only does this decrease the capacity of the stomach but it also allows food to enter a part of the digestive tract (the small bowel) much quicker than before. This induces a change in a number of important digestive hormones that control hunger and satiety (‘fullness’) and also effects the way cells respond to insulin. The result is that patients do not feel hungry as much as before, they feel fuller quicker and they maintain much better control of their blood sugars (often reversing the effects of diabetes).

Like the gastric band, the procedure is performed under general anaesthetic normally using laparoscopic techniques. The size and position of the surgical incisions are almost identical to the gastric band operation but it is longer procedure requiring specialist laparoscopic stapling devices that divide and join sections of bowel together. Patients generally stay in hospital for 2 to 3 nights.

Patients will typically lose around 60-70% of their excess weight over a 2 year period, often with a ‘rapid weight loss’ period for the first 6 months post-operatively.

Learn more about the procedure from our Video Guide.

During a sleeve gastrectomy a large portion of the stomach is stapled and removed, leaving behind a stomach ‘tube’ (rather than a normal ‘sac’ shaped stomach). This has a number of effects not only due to the decreased capacity of the stomach but also as this allows faster transit of food into the small bowel (similar to, but not quite as effective, as the gastric bypass).

Patients will generally stay in hospital for 2 to 3 nights and will typically lose between 60-70% of their excess weight over a 2 year period.

Learn more about the procedure from our Video Guide.

The gastric balloon is a soft silicon expandable device that is placed into the stomach and then inflated with water to a desired volume (usually between 500-700 mls). This causes a feeling of fullness in the stomach that encourages patients to eat less and hence, lose weight.

Optimise offers the standard Orbera (6 month) and  Orbera365 (12 month) packages.

The Orbera is usually performed under a light general anaesthetic and is placed endoscopically (using an endoscope passed into the mouth). It is the only balloon licensed to stay in for 12 months (although it can be removed sooner if desired) and therefore needs to be removed (endoscopically) after this period.

Patients typically lose up to 30% of their excess weight over this period. The procedure is generally used to achieve a degree of weight loss in patients planned for a more definitive procedure (such as a gastric band or bypass) but who would benefit from some initial weight loss to make further surgery safer. Some patients may benefit from the gastric balloon as a means to ‘kick start’ a change in dietary habit that will help with longer term ‘non-surgical’ weight loss.