Gastric bypass surgery at Spire St Anthony's Hospital

Spire St Anthony’s Hospital is a large private hospital providing an extensive range of treatments and services for our patients in Sutton and the surrounding Surrey and south London area. You’ll have a choice of bariatric surgeons (consultants specialising in weight loss surgery) who can carry out gastric bypass surgery.

This can help to reduce your weight if changing your diet and lifestyle hasn’t worked.

Our bariatric surgeons are supported by a team of expert nurses who can ensure the treatment and aftercare is tailored to your needs. We can operate on complex patients due to having Intensive Care Unit (ICU) facilities.

A dietitian will meet you before and after surgery to advise about a new diet plan and help you control your eating. They'll also have follow-up appointments with you to check how your recovery is going.

Spire St Anthony's Hospital is close to Sutton and Epsom. Sutton and Cheam stations are both on the Victoria and London Bridge line. Worcester Park Station is on the Waterloo to Epsom line. There’s free parking on-site for you and your visitors.

Your first appointment will take place in one of our 19 consulting rooms. Your consultant will discuss your medical history with you and explain your different options. There’ll be plenty of time to ask any questions. You’ll be able to talk about:

• What surgery involves – they may recommend gastric sleeve surgery to begin with
• What’s included in your treatment costs
• Your anaesthetic and how it might affect you
• Any potential complications and risks of surgery
• What’s involved in your recovery, including your aftercare plan which includes changes to your diet and lifestyle

If you decide you’d like to go ahead with a gastric bypass, you’ll meet a pre-assessment nurse so they can further assess if surgery is right for you. You'll also need to have a pre-operative assessment which may include:

• An electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Blood tests
• STOP Bang assessment - for sleep apnoea

If your BMI is over 40, you'll also see a consultant anaesthetist during your pre-assessment appointment.

Your gastric bypass surgery takes one to three hours, but you’ll stay in hospital for one to two days afterwards. You’ll have a comfortable, private room with all the comforts and conveniences you’d expect to find at home, including:

• TV
• En-suite
• Window
• Armchair
• Telephone

On the day of your operation, there’ll be a chance to meet your anaesthetist and the surgical team. You’ll have a general anaesthetic so you'll be asleep for the operation, which involves your surgeon reducing the size of your stomach and connecting it to the lower part of your small intestine.

If you’ve come with a friend or family member, they’re welcome to wait in our lounge or restaurant while you have your operation.

While you’re in hospital, your nursing team will give you pain relief as and when you need it to make sure you’re comfortable.

After you leave hospital, we’ll arrange to see you four weeks after surgery so we can keep track of your progress and ensure you’re recovering and losing weight as intended. You'll also receive support and aftercare from a dietitian.

Although everyone’s different, here’s a typical recovery guide for gastric bypass surgery: