Weight loss surgery (also known as bariatric surgery)

Weight loss surgery (also known as bariatric surgery) is used treat patients who are dangerously overweight. If you have previously been unsuccessful in losing weight by changing your lifestyle or diet, then weight loss surgery may be right for you. There are several different types of weight loss surgery, all of which are available at Bupa Cromwell Hospital. These include: Gastric bypass During a gastric bypass procedure, special surgical staples are used to reduce the size of your stomach, causing food to bypass part of the stomach and small intestine. This results in you eating less, with some food not being fully digested. This makes you feel full more quickly. The length of stay in hospital needed varies from person to person, but will typically be around two nights. Gastric banding A gastric band is an inflatable circular band which is placed around the top of your stomach. This reduces the speed at which food moves into the stomach and helps you to feel full more quickly, encouraging you to reduce the amount you want to eat. Gastric band surgery can be performed as a day-case, or with an overnight stay.