Treatment guide

Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Gastric sleeve surgery is an innovative procedure that can help you to lose weight. Struggling with being overweight can be extremely frustrating and emotionally challenging. It’s difficult to stay motivated when no amount of diets and exercise routines are getting you to where you want to be in terms of your weight. Thankfully, a gastric sleeve, also known as sleeve gastrectomy or bariatric sleeve, can be the perfect solution to this problem.

As one of the most commonly performed weight loss surgeries also known as bariatric surgery, you have a lot of choices when it comes to finding a doctor for your gastric sleeve surgery. However, this can quickly become overwhelming. That’s why Qunomedical is here to help. We’ve created a dedicated page for the treatment, allowing you to find all the information you need, compare prices, and find high-quality doctors at home and abroad.

The content has been reviewed for quality and accuracy to the best of our knowledge by Qunomedical and its Medical Board of Experts.

JuliaJuliaPatient Manager
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★★★★★Gael D., Germany:
“Qunomedical helped me so much! Thank you!“
★★★★★Gael D., Germany:
“Qunomedical helped me so much! Thank you!“

Gastric Sleeve Surgery Quick Details

WHO IS THIS FOR

  • Gastric sleeve surgery is suitable for those whose BMI is higher than 40.

  • Patients who have a BMI greater than 35, plus a combination of other conditions linked to obesity. These can include type 2 diabetes (T2D), impaired glucose tolerance, sleep apnea, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and/or heart disease.

  • Those who have a BMI greater than 30 but also have other serious health problems might be eligible for a gastric sleeve.

TREATMENT DURATION

  • Gastric sleeve surgery usually takes around 1-2 hours.

  • However, the duration of the treatment can vary from patient to patient, depending on individual factors.

RECOVERY TIME

  • In most cases, you should be able to leave the hospital around 2-3 days after your surgery.

  • Around 1-3 weeks after treatment, you should be able to return to work.

  • Strenuous activity should be avoided for the first 30 days following treatment.

SUCCESS

  • In the majority of cases, 50-70% of excess weight is lost in the first two years following a gastric sleeve surgery.

POTENTIAL RISKS & SIDE EFFECTS

  • Bleeding

  • Infection

  • Diarrhoea

  • Nausea and vomiting

  • Blood clots

  • Gallstones

  • Hernias

  • Undernutrition

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS

Before / After Photos

Gastric Sleeve Costs: How Much Is the Surgery?

Gastric sleeve costs are dependent on the type of surgery being performed, the complexity of the procedure, the expertise of the surgeon, the general health of the patient, and the country in which the surgery is performed. From country to country, pricing differentials can also vary based on factors such as cost of living, exchange rates, practising costs, or regulatory conditions.

Quno Price

Below, we’ve outlined the starting prices for gastric sleeve surgery across a number of different locations. These bariatric surgery costs are not fixed or guaranteed and they may change from patient to patient, depending on a variety of different factors. These prices have only been taken from Qunomedical-approved doctors and clinics.

CountryPrice (EUR €)
Turkey€5,350
Czech Republic€5,400
Poland€5,490
Lithuania€5,570
Germany€7,500
United Kingdom€10,000
USA€17,500

What Is a Gastric Sleeve?

A gastric sleeve, also known as sleeve gastrectomy or bariatric sleeve, is a technique that works by restricting the amount of food intake and regulating hormone production in the gut. During gastric sleeve surgery, a patient’s stomach is reduced to 15-25% of its original size. This then helps to restrict the amount of food that you can eat, as you begin to feel full a lot quicker. The treatment also removes the hormones that are responsible for stimulating and boosting your appetite.

How Does It Work?

Gastric sleeve surgery is performed as a laparoscopic procedure. Laparoscopic surgery (also known as keyhole surgery or bandaid surgery) is a modern surgical technique in which a surgeon can conduct the entire procedure through a few small incisions (usually 0.5-1.5cm in diameter). The surgeon uses a laparoscope (a long, fibre-optic cable) inserted through a needle-like tube. Below, we’ve outlined a step by step guide, explaining how gastric sleeve surgery is performed.

1. Anaesthesia

Before the surgery can begin, the patient is given general anaesthesia. This ensures that they are completely unconscious during the whole procedure, which typically lasts 1-2 hours.

2. Incisions

Once the patient is asleep, the surgeon creates five small incisions in the abdominal wall that are then used as an entry point for a camera and specific surgical instruments. The images and video that the camera captures are displayed on a monitor in the operating room.

3. Gas Administration

The patient’s abdomen is then filled with carbon dioxide gas to create more space between the organs and ensure a safer operation.

4. Tube Insertion

Following the gas administration, the surgeon will insert a bougie tube into the stomach that will serve as the sizer of the new stomach.

5. Resizing the Stomach

The stomach is then divided into two parts. This is carried out 4-6 cm (1.5-2.5 inches) from the pylorus, the valve between the stomach and the small intestine. The surgeon then removes around 80% of the stomach and leaves a banana-shaped “sleeve”.

6. Tube Removal

The bougie tube that was inserted through the earlier made incisions is then removed. The new stomach is now only 15-20% of its original size and is closed using surgical staples.

7. Closing the Incisions

All of the surgical instruments are then removed and the incisions are closed using stitches.

How Do I Know If I Am Eligible for Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

Although eligibility for gastric sleeve surgery varies from country to country, it’s usually only recommended for any adult under the supervision of a medical professional who meets one of the following criteria:

  • BMI greater than 40

  • BMI greater than 35 with the presence of additional conditions related to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, sleep apnea, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and/or heart disease

  • BMI greater than 30 with serious health problems

It's worth noting here that in certain countries, there may be legal requirements with regards to BMI and gastric sleeve surgery. In Turkey for example — one of the most popular locations for the treatment — it is not legal to have the surgery if your BMI is under 35. Therefore, this is a factor to be aware of when planning your treatment.

For more information on eligibility for surgery in specific countries, contact us and one of our Patient Managers will be happy to provide more information.

What Is Body Mass Index (BMI) and How Do I Calculate Mine?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a globally accepted measure of body fat based on the relationship between height and weight. While this is an effective screening tool for determining whether an individual is in a weight category that may lead to health problems, BMI alone is not a diagnostic of body fatness or the health of an individual. BMI contains various different categories for determining your weight. The categories are as follows:

  • Below 18.5 → Underweight

  • 18.5 - 24.9 → Healthy

  • 25 - 29.9 → Overweight

  • 30 - 35 → Obese

  • Above 35 → Extremely Obese

Image2_GastricsleeveTP

How Do You Prepare for Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

Gastric sleeve surgery requires some preparation before the actual procedure can begin. It’s also important that you’re committed to all of the pre-op and post-op guidelines. This includes a pre-op diet that your doctor will ask you to follow. This will help you lose weight and reduce the dimensions of your liver, which, if overweight, can pose some risks during surgery. A pre-op diet usually includes increasing protein consumption (lean meats), reducing carbohydrate intake (pasta, bread, and rice), and eliminating sugars (candy, desserts, juices, or sodas).

What Should You Expect From Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

Following a gastric sleeve procedure, food is digested and absorbed in the same way as before, with the only difference being that it’s done in much smaller quantities. The main advantages of this particular type of bariatric surgery are that it often induces rapid and significant weight loss and involves a relatively short hospital stay (usually around two days). Gastric sleeve surgery is a non-reversible procedure and does have the potential to cause vitamin deficiencies if a proper diet is not maintained in the long term.

What Are the Lifestyle Changes That Need to Occur Following a Gastric Sleeve Procedure?

There are many factors that can contribute to successful weight loss after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery. This includes your ability to make lifestyle changes and maintain them in the long term. Following treatment, you’ll receive a nutrition and lifestyle plan from your doctor with diet and post-operative guidelines that you will be strongly encouraged to follow. Below, we’ve outlined some of the main lifestyle changes that you may be encouraged to make following treatment.

Diet Change

Consistent Exercise Regime

Follow-Up Procedures and Emotional Challenges

Gastric Sleeve Surgery: At Home or Abroad?

There has been an increase in the number of patients travelling to have a gastric sleeve abroad. There are a few different reasons for this, and we’ve outlined these below:

  • Cost-cutting: The main driver behind an increase in the popularity of gastric sleeves abroad is the lower prices that are on offer, compared to places like the UK or US. As we saw from the table above, travelling to undergo gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey, for example, can result in significant savings in comparison to having the treatment at home.

  • High-quality of care: Lower prices are great, but not when that also means a lower quality of care. Thankfully, that doesn’t have to be the case. With Qunomedical-approved doctors abroad, you can receive treatment that is fairly priced, yet still high-quality.

  • Convenient packages: Many clinics and doctors abroad also offer unique treatment packages for their international patients. As well as the cost of treatment, these often include things like accommodation, airport shuttles, and transfers to and from the clinic. Interested in one of these packages? Contact us and one of our Patient Managers will be happy to help.

Interested in a gastric sleeve abroad but looking to find out more about the clinics and doctors involved? With Qunomedical, you can view a list of clinics that offer the treatment. All of these clinics have been thoroughly vetted with high-quality and fair pricing in mind. You’re also able to view specific doctor profiles. This includes checking their qualifications, accreditations, experience, and reading reviews from their past patients. Many of the leading bariatric surgery specialist are for example working at the Memorial Bahcelievler clinic in Istanbul.

Why Choose Qunomedical?

At Qunomedical, we are committed to taking a patient-first approach to healthcare. This means working to ensure that everyone is able to access high-quality, affordable care. When booking gastric sleeve surgery through Qunomedical, you’ll only be choosing from highly experienced, renowned doctors, who offer treatments at a fair price. 

100% free, non-binding assessment: We offer a 100% free, non-binding assessment to anyone interested in treatment. Contact us now and one of our Patient Managers will be in touch to get you started.

Verified doctors and clinics: Every doctor and clinic that we provide you with information on has been thoroughly vetted using our proprietary scoring system, Qunoscore.

All-inclusive packages: Interested in undergoing gastric sleeve surgery abroad? Many clinics offer all-inclusive packages that typically include things like accommodation, airport transfers, and a clinic shuttle service. 

24/7 support: We believe strongly in end-to-end care – from your first questions to your successful recovery. Reach your Patient Manager via phone, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or email. In emergency cases, our team can always be reached, 24/7.

Price match: Found gastric sleeve surgery at the same clinic, with the same doctor, cheaper somewhere else? We’ll match the price.

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Gastric Sleeve Surgery Reviews

Gastric Sleeve Surgery Reviews

4.8
All good
★★★★★
20.12.2019

All the services from start to end it’s excellent as expected

Neseer A.
  • Gastric Sleeve Surgery
  • KCM Clinic
I have to say from the first email to the discharge day I couldn't recommend a clinic and surgeon more. to have the procedure done by Dr. Kowalski, who does 10 or more surgeries a week is something you won't find in Ireland.
★★★★★
13.03.2019

I am a nurse from Ireland and was totally abandoned by my the Irish health system. I started to research travelling abroad for a sleeve as was 3 years on Irish waiting list. I have to say from the first email to the discharge day I couldn't recommend a clinic and surgeon more. to have the procedure done by Dr. Kowalski, who does 10 or more surgeries a week is something you won't find in Ireland. And the recovery is so fast due to their excellent care and knowledge. I am 10 days post op and 14kg down since starting pre op. KCM and Dr. Kowalski have given me my life back and I'm thankful every day I found them

Debbie
  • Gastric Sleeve Surgery
  • KCM Clinic
I’ve had no problems following my operation and have now lost 22kg in 8 weeks.
★★★★★
13.03.2019

Just wanted to say how easy I’ve found my gastric sleeve surgery and that I would happily recommend the clinic and Dr. Kowalski. I’ve had no problems following my operation and have now lost 22kg in 8 weeks.

Justine
  • Gastric Sleeve Surgery
  • KCM Clinic
Since I have returned home many friends and family members have since went to KCM for weight loss surgery. We are all delighted with the outcome and the aftercare they offer us. 9 months post op and 50 kilos lighter.
★★★★★
13.03.2019

I travelled to KCM Clinic January 2016 for my Gastric Sleeve surgery. I was very nervous about the whole thing but my coordinator made the whole process so much easier from the booking process to the day of flying home. I found out about KCM online and I was so impressed with there knowledge of weight loss surgery. There was no way that I could afford to have the surgery in the UK so KCM was a perfect choice for me. The most important thing for me was that I had chosen the best surgeon. Dr. Kowalski was fabulous. No question was too much trouble for him. He was happy to answer them all! He talked me through the whole process and what he was planning to do. The pre op tests were fantastic and nothing like you can imagine. After the surgery he visited me daily before my discharge. Since I have returned home many friends and family members have since went to KCM for weight loss surgery. We are all delighted with the outcome and the aftercare they offer us. 9 months post op and 50 kilos lighter.

Kim
  • Gastric Sleeve Surgery
  • KCM Clinic
Frieda

Patient manager

Frieda

Your personal Patient Manager

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