Home Obesity What are the operations for weight loss

What are the operations for weight loss

AN EXPLANATION OF FEES

Although our fee is a fixed amount, there are several other services that need to be paid for, as part of the whole cost of an operation. Our surgeon’s fee includes 6 months free follow-up.

There is a fee for the anaesthetist. This is calculated on risk factors that you may have, and is also billed on a time basis.

Then there is the hospital fee, which consists of the use of the operating theatre, equipment, medications, and hospital stay. This may vary a lot, depending on how difficult your operation is (the longer it takes, the higher the theatre fee), and how long it takes for you to recover.

Most of these factors are variables not under our control, and so it is impossible to give an accurate estimate of the total costs.

Our estimate is an average cost for that procedure, and as it is very expensive to run a theatre and ward, the actual cost may be considerably higher than our estimate.

The human body is not as simple as an automobile, and problems do occur in any form of surgery. Weight loss surgery is particularly difficult, due to the size of the patient, the lack of room inside the abdomen, and the poor state of the tissues. And so it is impossible to guarantee a complication free procedure.
In the case of a complication requiring surgery, the system fails the patient, as ACC may not cover the costs, and at the time of writing, insurance policies do not cover the cost. Sadly, some of these complications may mean the removal of the band! Patients may need to be referred to a public hospital for financial reasons. Again, the system does not allow continuation of your care by us in the private hospital. However, we would prefer to take over again as soon as the situation permits.

WHICH OPERATION?

Why is there a choice?

Well, they all work in different ways, with much the same weight loss in the end. Its how the weight is lost that is the difference, and the reasons for losing the weight.

In our unit, all primary operations are done with minimally invasive techniques.

Bariatric surgery differs from nearly all other operations in that long term follow-up is required for all procedures.

Gastric Banding

• Food still travels down normal anatomical pathway
• Completely reversible
• Safest of the operation, but there are possible ongoing complications as the band is present for life
• Complications requiring surgery can nearly always be dealt with laparoscopically.
• Some complications mean the band has to be removed.
• Many patients are unable to eat certain foods, such as red meat and some vegetables and fruit
• It does mean leaving a foreign body inside (although so do joint replacements, cataracts, tooth filling)
• Weight loss is slower, so it will take longer to get to desired weight. However, this may give time for the skin to retract.
• It is strongly dependant on follow-up. Those who cannot commit to a minimum of monthly visits for the first 6 months should consider an alternative treatment.
• Top up may be required every few years as there is a slow loss of fluid out of the band, which leads to some weight regain if not replaced. This is a good way of keeping in tough about new developments.

Gastric Sleeve Resection (Tube Gastrectomy)

• Food still travels down normal anatomical pathway
• Not reversible
• Higher immediate post-operative risk (leak and bleed) but once healed, further complications very rare.
• Weight loss is not so critically dependant on a very close follow-up
• Complications may entail open surgery and are life threatening, often needing ICU and prolonged hospitalisation.
• Patients can usually eat all types of food.
• The long term results are not known.( Patients choosing this operation should accept that additional surgery may be required in the future if there is inadequate weight loss or there is regaining of weight in the future.)

Gastric Bypass

• The most complicated of the three operations described here.
• Has greater potential for complications.
• Essentially irreversible
• Complication requiring surgery usually need open surgery.
• Malabsorbtion is part of the process.
• Supplements essential.
• May be intolerant of many foods, and may have ‘Dumping Syndrome’
• Complications are possible for life.
• Vomiting not uncommon
• Most expensive proceedure

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