Gastric bypass surgery at Spire Dunedin Hospital

Spire Dunedin Hospital is a well-established private hospital, having been based on the Bath Road for over 100 years. We take pride in delivering a high standard of care to our patients in Reading and the surrounding Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire areas. We have an expert team of bariatric surgeons (consultants specialising in weight loss surgery) for you to choose from. They can carry out gastric bypass surgery which can help you lose weight if changes to diet and exercise haven't worked. You’ll have a treatment and recovery plan that’s personalised to suit your lifestyle.

Our surgeons work with a team of nurses, a psychologist and dietitians who'll help you throughout your treatment and recovery, so that you get the support you need.

Your dietitian is available for up to seven appointments to offer you advice and a diet plan for your personal needs. We also provide bariatric nurse support for the first two years after your operation.

Getting here

Spire Dunedin Hospital is conveniently situated close to the heart of Reading, on the A4 Bath Road. We’re a short walk from Reading West station and a 10 minute taxi from Reading mainline station with direct trains to and from London. We have free on-site parking for you and your visitors.

Your consultations

Your initial appointments will take place in one of our 15 consultation rooms. During your consultations, we’ll:

• Ask about your medical history
• Explain about the different surgical methods – your consultant may recommend gastric sleeve surgery first
• They’ll explain what’s included in your treatment price
• Explain about your aftercare, the diet and exercise plan you’ll need to follow and how the operation will affect your lifestyle in the long term
• Discuss risks and complications

The consultations give you an opportunity to ask any questions you may have. Once you and your consultant have decided to go ahead with a gastric bypass, you’ll be assessed by a bariatric nurse, a pre-op nurse and a dietitian. You may also need to go on a pre-operative diet for two weeks, designed specifically to help reduce the size of your liver. You'll need to have a pre-operative assessment which may include:

• An electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Blood tests
• Endoscopy
• Scans if you've had previous upper gastrointestinal surgery

On the day of your surgery:

• You’ll be able to meet your anaesthetics and surgical team
• You’ll have a general anaesthetic
• Once it's taken effect, your surgeon will begin the operation to reduce the size of your stomach
• They’ll then connect it to the lower part of your small intestine

The procedure takes between one and three hours. If you’ve come with a friend or family member, they're welcome to wait in our lounge, restaurant, or garden if the weather is good, while you have your operation.

You’ll stay in hospital for around three to five days after your surgery. You’ll have your own large en-suite room. All of our rooms have:

• En-suite bathroom
• Window
• Television
• Guest seating

During your stay, you’ll be given painkillers for any discomfort. Your nursing team will make sure you have everything you need at all times.

We’ll have follow-up appointments with you after you leave hospital to check you're recovering and losing weight as expected. You'll have up to four appointments with your consultant and up to seven with either your dietitian or bariatric nurse.

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