Gastric sleeve surgery (sleeve gastrectomy)

Some people struggle with their weight even if they eat healthily and exercise regularly. This can have an impact not only on their physical well being, but also on their self-confidence.

Gastric sleeve or sleeve gastrectomy surgery is a type of weight loss surgery that reduces your feelings of hunger and the amount you eat by reducing the size of your stomach.

If your body mass index (BMI) is 35 or more and you have been struggling to lose weight even while maintaining a healthy lifestyle, this could be an option for you. Gastric sleeve surgery reduces the size of your stomach and also removes the portion of it that plays a role in the amount of the hunger hormone your stomach releases to your brain.

Obesity can affect both your physical and mental well being. People who have had gastric sleeve surgery with us said that in addition to losing a large amount of weight they also experience a number of positive outcomes, including:

a reduction in their appetite
have better health, more energy and improved mental wellbeing
worry less about developing serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes
have more self-esteem and self-confidence
can take part in new activities, such as playing sport with their children
experience a positive, long term change in attitude towards healthy eating
have improved health and mobility.

The procedure has also helped many people reduce their risk of health conditions related to obesity – such as developing type 2 diabetes, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and obstructive sleep apnoea.

Your bariatric (obesity) surgeon will shrink your stomach to about a quarter of its current size by removing the left side. They’ll pull the remaining part of the stomach upwards and reseal it with clips and seamguard. The operation takes 1-2 hours.

Once you've recovered, you'll feel full after just a small amount of food. Over time you'll eat less and therefore lose significant amounts of weight while sticking to a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Our patients are at the heart of what we do and we want you to be in control of your care. To us, that means you can choose the consultant you want to see, and when you want. They'll be with you every step of the way.

All of our consultants are of the highest calibre and benefit from working in our modern, well-equipped hospitals.

Our consultants have high standards to meet, often holding specialist NHS posts and delivering expertise in complex sub-speciality surgeries. Many of our consultants have international reputations for their research in their specialised field.

You will have a formal consultation with a healthcare professional. During this time you will be able to explain your medical history, weight loss goals and the benefits of the various procedures available to you.

We will discuss if another treatment would be more effective for you - such as a gastric balloon or gastric bypass surgery - or if you can be booked straight in at a time and hospital convenient to you.

Before having gastric sleeve surgery, your surgeon will also order:

blood tests (done at pre-assessment)
a complete workup for surgery.

All patients, either insured or paying for themselves, can gain rapid access to this treatment and some of our other complementary latest generation procedures.

We've tried to make your experience with us as easy and relaxed as possible.

For more information on visiting hours, our food, what to pack if you're staying with us, parking and all those other important practicalities, please visit our patient information pages.

Our dedicated team will also give you tailored advice to follow in the run up to your visit.

We understand that having surgery can potentially be a time of anxiety and worry. Our experienced and caring medical staff will be there for you every step of the way.

Gastric sleeve operations usually take one to two hours. It is performed under general anaesthetic, which means you will be asleep during the procedure.

Your experienced consultant bariatric (weight loss) surgeon will either use keyhole surgical techniques, which involve several small cuts being made in the abdomen, or they will make a single larger cut known as open surgery.

The keyhole technique is increasingly common for many types of surgery as it is less invasive and tends to leave less scarring.

Whichever approach your surgeon uses, they will remove up to 75% of your stomach, with the remainder looking like a sleeve or a banana.

They’ll then use clips and seamguard to reseal the stomach.

After this, you will be taken to your room or comfortable area where you can rest and recuperate until we feel you’re ready to go home.

As well as our experienced and caring nurses, one of our dietitians will visit you to talk about what you should eat while your stomach settles down. They’ll also help you plan a long-term healthy diet.

Pain relief

Your stomach will be sore for a few days while it heals, but we'll provide you with appropriate pain relief.

Your recovery

You will be on a liquid diet for 2 weeks, pureed diet for 2 weeks and then a soft diet for 2 weeks.

When you go home at first you should avoid high fibre food such as rice, beans and most healthy breakfast cereals. Your dietitian will give you further advice and remember that fibre is good to eat again after you’ve recovered.

End result

Weight loss surgery, including this option, can be life-changing and it makes many people healthier and happier.

It's important to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly after this surgery to maintain your weight loss.

How your loved ones can help

You should ask a friend or relative to take you home from hospital as you won't feel up to driving and to help you around the house for the few days.

Looking after you

Even after you’ve left hospital, we’re still looking after you every step of the way. When you leave we’ll provide you with all the appropriate medication and dietary advice you need.

Typically your consultant will want to see you after your treatment to see how you’re doing, an appointment will be made for you before you leave the hospital.

On rare occasions, complications following gastric surgery can occur. The chance of complications depends on the exact type of operation you are having and other factors such as your general health. We will talk to you about the possible risks and complications of having this procedure and how they apply to you.

If you have any questions or concerns, we’re ready to help.

A fixed price for this treatment may be available on enquiry and following an initial consultation.

We are committed to delivering excellent individual care and customer service across our network of hospitals, clinics and specialist care centres around the UK. Our dedicated and highly trained team aim to achieve consistently excellent results. For us it's more than just treating patients, it's about looking after people.

Important to note

The treatment described on this page may be adapted to meet your individual needs, so it's important to follow your healthcare professional's advice and raise any questions that you may have with them.