With this surgery, your surgeon makes large folds in your stomach wall, reducing the size of your stomach by about 75%.
This has a similar effect to gastric banding or gastric sleeve surgery – making you feel full sooner.
How the surgery is done
Your surgeon makes several small incisions in your abdomen to access the outside of your stomach wall. The surgeon then folds your stomach in on itself and secures the folds in place with sutures.
The surgery takes between 40 minutes and 2 hours. Average time off work is 24 – 48 hours.
Advantages
- suitable for people with lower BMIs
- can also help with heartburn
- the procedure is reversible, but not easily
- weight loss at 1 year averages 58% of excess weight. At 4 years, excess weight loss averages 68%.
Disadvantages
- unlike adjustable gastric banding, the size of your stomach can’t be easily adjusted
- risk of complications: 1% – 9%
- complications include nausea and vomiting lasting a week after surgery, separation of the sutures, leakage from the sutured areas and hernia
- because it’s relatively new, there’s limited data on long term safety and effectiveness, and the need for repeat surgery: 3% – 8%.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Information is provided by HCF in good faith for the convenience of members. It is not an endorsement or recommendation of any form of treatment nor is it a substitute for medical advice, and you should rely on the advice of your treating doctors in relation to all matters concerning your health. Every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, however HCF takes no responsibility for any injury, loss, damage or other consequences of the use of this information.
