Are you suffering weight regain after a previous sleeve gastrectomy or Type 2 Diabetes? We’re running a clinical trial where we’ll be offering patients bypass surgery to help them with this problem. Watch the video below to find out more. 

 

We are running a trial using a surgical device that is currently under investigation so is not available for human use outside a clinical trial. The device has been used in over 85 patients worldwide and appears as safe as other currently used surgical methods. Eligible patients, who have undergone medical screening will be offered the procedure as part of a clinical trial. While we cannot foresee what results or outcomes may occur for people in the trial, these types of surgeries can allow patients to lose around 15% of their starting weight by a year after surgery, and an improvement in weight, or Obesity related conditions such as Type II diabetes.

Who is eligible for the study?

Patients with weight regain after previous sleeve gastrectomy surgery, and or patients with Type II
diabetes.

What does the surgery involve?

It’s a combined endoscopy and laparoscopy procedure which involves creation of a bypass between the duodenum and the distal small bowel, otherwise known as a duodeno-ileostomy. This leads to a change in hormones associated with eating as well as absorption of calories from food. Both of these together helps cause weight loss however they can also lead to diarrhoea and nutrient deficiencies if not combined with dietary change and vitamin/mineral supplements.

If you have any questions and would like more information please email info@uppergisurgery.com.au 

The gastric bypass is known as the ‘gold standard’ weight control operation and has been the most frequently performed bariatric surgery procedure worldwide. But did you know that there are different types of gastric bypass surgery? Here’s a brief overview of the differences between the various gastric bypass procedures. 

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, commonly abbreviated as RYGB, is the most frequently performed gastric bypass procedure. It involves the creation of a small pouch (15-30ml) which can be long or short (but is always narrow) at the upper section of the stomach that is then connected directly to the small intestine. This restricts food intake, releases neuropeptides that suppress appetite and create taste changes, and leads to substantial weight loss.

Single Anastomosis Duodeno-ileal Bypass (SADI) and Sleeve+ procedures.

Sleeve Gastrectomy with Duodeno-Ileostomy (SADI) is an advanced surgical technique that combines sleeve gastrectomy with a modified digestive pathway. This restricts food intake, limits calorie absorption and leads to substantial weight loss. It is just one of the many Sleeve+ procedures that combine a Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy with some type of intestinal bypass to try to improve long-term weight loss.

Choosing the Right Gastric Bypass Surgery

Selecting the most suitable type of gastric bypass surgery is an important decision made after a detailed consultation with your bariatric surgeon. Your surgeon will discuss and assess your unique health conditions, weight loss goals and medical history to guide you to the right choice.

Benefits and Risks

Every type of gastric bypass surgery offers common benefits – substantial weight loss, enhanced health and improved overall well-being. However as with any major surgery, it is crucial to be informed about the potential risks and complications of these procedures. An in-depth discussion with your surgeon will equip you with the knowledge required for a well-informed decision.

At Upper GI Surgery, we are committed to guiding you through the decision-making process and ensuring a safe and effective surgical experience. Whether you’re considering Roux-en-Y, Mini Gastric Bypass or SADI, your journey to a healthier, happier you starts with a consultation. 

As part of our Patient Aftercare Program and in addition to appointments with Dietitian Tania, we provide each of our patients with their own copy of Sally Johnston’s ‘Your Complete Guide to Nutrition for Weight Loss Surgery’. Why do we feel this is an important component of your weight loss journey? 

The book is exactly what it proclaims in the title, a complete guide for those who have had any type of bariatric surgery, from the gastric sleeve to a gastric bypass, or those who may just be considering surgery. It combines simple, healthy recipes and food fundamentals, with troubleshooting common complaints, the nutritional impacts of bariatric surgery and the need for supplementation. 

This comprehensive guide combines delicious and uncomplicated recipes, from both colleagues and patients, with over 15 years of knowledge as a dietitian within the weight loss surgery industry.

Recipes for Everyone

The recipes in the book are not only for bariatric surgery patients but are easy to modify for family and friends too. Suggestions to modify serve sizes are included and this works really well for those who are getting family involved in their new healthy diet/lifestyle. 

Living with obesity means that a person’s excess weight poses a serious health risk; bariatric surgery is currently the only consistently effective treatment for severe obesity. For both insured & uninsured patients, there are out-of-pocket costs associated with surgery, which can often stop people from seeking treatment that they need. 

 

Let’s look at bariatric surgery as an investment in your future self, and how many years it will take to get a return on your investment. The return on your investment, through commitment to diet and lifestyle changes, is not just in monetary terms but in your overall quality of life as you transition to a healthier, happier you.

 

But here are four ways that bariatric surgery can save you real money, long-term.

2. Medication Costs

Losing weight is an effective treatment for the medical conditions that obesity causes. The majority of the significant diseases that people living with obesity suffer from, such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnoea and depression are either controlled or significantly improved by weight loss. 

Bariatric surgery is an effective way of putting type 2 diabetes into remission. People with type 2 diabetes have twice the medical expenses as a person without diabetes (CDC), and the costs only increase as things become more complex. This example is just one of many that demonstrate the medication savings that the one-off cost of surgery will have in a person’s lifetime. 

4. Employment opportunities

People with significant weight problems take more sick days, are more likely to retire early because of illness, and are more likely to be “locked out” of jobs because of physical constraints or because of insidious obesity stigma that reduces employment prospects and promotions for many. Adding years to your life also means adding years to your “working life”, be it in a career where you are paid, or in active, busy years 

Why you should invest in bariatric surgery – investing in your future

Bariatric surgery is life-changing and life-saving – can you really afford not to have surgery? Whether you take the first step today or arrange for your surgery 12 months from now, the real cost of not having surgery is the increased risk to life. Not just the length of your life, but the quality of those days/weeks/years/decades. 

At Upper GI Surgery our obesity treatment is patient-centred. Our expert team can discuss your options in full, from weight loss medication to different bariatric surgery procedures, complete with how much this will cost as an investment into your future. How much could you save if you were living your new, healthier, happier life? 

In everyday life, we are constantly bombarded with different choices we have to make. From something as simple as where to buy your morning coffee, right through to where to send your children to school, we want to make sure we are making the right choice. 

If you’ve decided that bariatric surgery is the solution to help you to live a healthier, longer life, you’ve probably started considering choices already. For example, what procedure do you think is going to be best suited to you? You may not be sure exactly where you want that surgery to take place or the bariatric surgeon that should perform the procedure. 

With over 20 years of bariatric surgery experience, no one in Australia has done more gastric sleeve or bypass procedures for longer than Upper GI Surgery. We’ve treated over 5,000 patients since our first gastric bypass in 2003, so we have a pretty good idea of what you should be looking out for in a surgeon or a clinic. 

Volume, Outcomes & Safety

Volume refers to the number of times a hospital has done a specific surgical procedure during a defined period of time. Why is this important? Because surgeons and hospitals that do more of a specific surgery will have better outcomes for their patients. 

When considering a surgeon or clinic for your bariatric surgery, it is important to find out how long they have been performing the recommended surgical procedure, whether that be a gastric sleeve or a bypass, and how often they perform the surgery. This will tell you a lot about their experience and help to determine the chances of a positive outcome. Safety should be your first priority, as bariatric surgery is still major surgery that carries many risks. 

At Upper GI Surgery we specialise in bariatric surgery, and each year are a Leading Contributor to the Bariatric Surgery Registry (BSR), demonstrating the volume of procedures that our clinic performs. Our safety record is twice that of the Australian or New Zealand average. 

If you’re considering bariatric surgery and would like to meet one of the UGIS surgeons or the bariatric care specialist to discuss your options and get a feel for the team and clinic that we have built over the last 20 years, we would love to hear from you, contact us. 

More than half of Australians have private health insurance (health.gov.au), but that also means that almost half of the population doesn’t. Of those that do, many may not have the sufficient level of insurance to cover a procedure like bariatric surgery (included within the Gold tier policies). 

Public hospitals account for about 2% of bariatric surgery cases in NSW, and waiting times are usually many many years. With very limited availability or access to services within the public system, most people find that their only option is to have surgery at a private hospital or clinic. But how much will that cost you in NSW? 

Is it worth getting insurance? 

Each provider is different, but typically there is a waiting period for surgery of 12 months. You could then decide whether paying 12 months of Gold tier health insurance would be worth it to you to offset the hospital costs. 

For example, if a Gold tier policy was $300/month this would be $3,600 for the 12 months. This would save you a minimum of $6,400 in hospital costs if you were willing to wait 12 months for surgery. If it was $500/month you would still be saving a minimum of $4,000 in hospital costs. 

It’s important to note at this point, that other options such as obesity treatment using weight loss medication may be available after as little as 6 months with a health insurance provider, which means you could start your weight-loss journey a long time before you can have surgery. It is worth making an appointment with a specialist to discuss your options, then seeking a health insurer that would provide the most benefit during your waiting period for surgery. 

Sometimes providers can offer special add-on services that are also worth enquiring about. 

What are other options for paying for surgery without insurance? 

If you choose not to have private health insurance or do not have the appropriate level of cover, there are still other options available for paying for your surgery. 

The hospital and your surgeon/clinic will require payment in full ahead of your surgery date (typically one week before). Once you have had your consultations with your bariatric surgeon or specialist, they will be able to provide you with a comprehensive quote for your surgery, including all hospital costs. 

Once you have this amount, there are other ways you can pay these ahead of your surgery, without private health insurance. 

The first step to understanding how much bariatric surgery will cost you as an uninsured patient in NSW is to book an appointment with a specialist or surgeon to discuss your options in more detail. Once you have this thorough understanding it makes it much easier to plan how to accommodate paying for surgery. 

Risks vs Benefits of Gastric Bypass Options

As a mini gastric bypass is a simpler procedure and can be performed in a shorter amount of time than the traditional roux-en-y bypass, the risks of this bariatric surgery are lower as are potential complications during surgery. A mini bypass has also demonstrated a lower risk of obstruction of the small bowel compared to a standard bypass. 

The mini gastric bypass also comes with its own potential problems following surgery, such as a risk of suffering from nutrient deficiencies if you don’t keep up with your vitamin and mineral supplements – like with any bypass this is a requirement for the rest of your life. 

While a mini gastric bypass has lower risks of abdominal pain and bowel blockages, there is a higher risk of reflux (although less risk than what we see with sleeve gastrectomy) and possibly a bigger risk of stomach ulcers than roux-bypass if patients drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or take anti-inflammatory medications. The more small bowel that is bypassed during the procedure the greater the chances also of malnutrition, diarrhoea and foul smelling gas.

Finding the right bariatric surgeon

The mini gastric bypass has not been performed as long as the roux-en-y gastric bypass, and although it has delivered excellent weight loss results so far, the long-term success can’t be measured as efficiently as the standard operation. 

Not all bariatric surgeons are experienced in performing the mini gastric bypass, so you may find it challenging to find a surgeon that has high case load experience in this area, delivering safe and effective obesity treatment. 

A/Prof Michael Talbot at Upper GI Surgery has been performing complex bariatric surgery for over 20 years and the clinic has treated over 5,000 patients during this time. Dr Talbot has extensive mini gastric bypass operating experience and offers it as one of many different surgical treatment options for obesity. 

Bariatric Revision Surgery

“Revision surgery is quite common. To date I have performed about 1,000 re-operations on weight loss patients – I usually do two or three of these operations per week.” – A/Prof Michael Talbot

Thankfully, many patients seek help when they start to regain weight and can get back on track relatively easily, but there are others who only seek help after they have regained large amounts of weight. 

This group who only seek help when they have regained significant amounts of weight, probably accounts for about 75% of the patients who need redo surgery after a previous bariatric surgery procedure. They can be easily identified because they have previously stopped coming in for follow-up appointments, they have stopped taking their vitamins and have ceased regular eating and exercise habits.

In the other 25% of patients requiring redo surgery, weight regain is due to the development of a technical problem with their operation. If they present before they have had massive weight regain, solving the problem is fairly straightforward.

A/Prof Michael Talbot has performed more revision weight loss surgery procedures than any other bariatric surgeon in NSW, and for longer. If you would like to discuss your options for revision surgery, please contact our practice. 

Improved Quality of Life

With weight loss surgery comes huge changes. For someone to lose weight and maintain that weight loss, a new diet and active lifestyle needs to be adhered to. This isn’t always easy, breaking many years or even decades of previous habits. 

But with hard work comes the rewards. As you begin to lose weight, you will notice many other areas of your life improve. You will be able to move easier and more often, you’ll sleep better. As your body is no longer struggling under the excess weight and is being fueled by nutritious foods, you will feel different from the inside out. 

This all contributes to an overall improvement in quality of life as well as length of life. So not only are you adding years to your life by having surgery to treat obesity, but you are ensuring those years are spent in the best condition possible, making them as enjoyable as possible.

Is weight loss surgery worth it? 

Weight loss surgery is a great tool to help you to lose weight. The hard work comes from you adhering to the changes afterwards. Is it worth it? If you ask any patients who have had surgery the commonest reply you will hear is “I wish I did it years earlier”. If you ask the weight loss surgeons here at Upper GI Surgery, each of them will tell you the reason they love doing what they do is that they get to witness the change that surgery offers their patients. Being able to see people transform into new, healthier, happier versions of themselves is incredibly rewarding and fulfilling work. 

Weight loss surgery will be worth it to you if you are considering it for the right reasons. To improve your overall health, to become more active, to sleep better, or just to generally get more from life.