At Cairns Private Hospital, we offer several bariatric weight loss surgery options. Your specialist will be able to talk through the options in more detail with suggestions of which may be most appropriate for individual circumstances.

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (and ongoing management)

The gastric band consists of a ring of silicone which is placed around the very top of the stomach. It has an inner balloon which compresses this area to control the appetite. The balloon is connected to a port lying deep to the skin. By injection or removal of saline into the port the appetite can be increased or decreased. It is generally regarded as a safe procedure which leads to good long-term weight loss. It is fully reversible.

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (also known as Gastric Sleeve)

The Sleeve Gastrectomy procedure involves removing approximately three quarters of the stomach leaving behind a narrow tube of stomach. This restricts the amount of food eaten before the sleeve distends, creating a feeling of fullness. This is currently the most frequently used bariatric procedure in Australia and offers good early weight loss. The procedure is not reversible or adjustable.

Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass (including Roux-en-Y and single loop variants)

In a Gastric Bypass procedure, a small stomach pouch is created to restrict food intake. Next, a Y-shaped section of the small intestine is attached to the pouch to allow food to bypass the lower stomach, the duodenum (the first segment of the small intestine), and the first portion of the jejunum (the second segment of the small intestine). This bypass reduces the absorption of nutrients and thereby reduces calorie intake.

Laparoscopic Duodenal Switch (including SADI-S)

Duodenal Switch surgery is a combination of a gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery. In a Duodenal Switch procedure, a significant portion of the stomach is removed through a vertical sleeve gastrectomy. This limits the amount of food the stomach is able to store, making you feel full with less food. The small intestine is then re-routed to lessen the digestion of calories and nutrients. It is a longer and more technically demanding surgery than a gastric band or gastric bypass but typically results in more weight loss than other bariatric procedures.

Revisional Bariatric Surgery

For people who underwent obesity surgery in the 1980s and 1990s and who have not managed to achieve or maintain their weight-loss goals. It is also performed in patients who experienced previous complications from weight-loss surgery. Revision surgery converts one procedure to another procedure which may be more suitable for the patient. In 95 per cent of cases this can be done laparoscopically (keyhole surgery). “Re-do” surgery is typically more complex and involves more complications. For this reason, cautious assessment and consultation is required for all patients considering this option.