Sleeve Gastrectomy in Adelaide with Dr Michael France
Sleeve Gastrectomy is a highly effective weight loss surgery performed through minimally invasive keyhole techniques. During this procedure, roughly two-thirds of the stomach is removed, transforming it from a large, pouch-like organ into a slender tube. This dramatically reduces the amount of food the stomach can hold and helps patients feel satisfied with much smaller portions.
One of the biggest benefits of sleeve gastrectomy is that it doesn’t involve placing any foreign devices inside the body, eliminating risks of device failure or obstruction. Unlike more complex procedures, it also leaves the digestive tract largely intact, which allows patients — after their initial recovery — to enjoy a wide variety of foods. This is a key advantage over gastric banding, which often comes with stricter long-term dietary restrictions.
A critical component of the surgery is the removal of the upper portion of the stomach that produces ghrelin, the hormone responsible for stimulating hunger. When people attempt to diet without surgery, weight loss typically triggers increased ghrelin production, leading to intense feelings of hunger and making it difficult to sustain weight loss. Patients who undergo sleeve gastrectomy generally experience a notable reduction in appetite, helping them lose weight without the constant struggle of feeling starved.
Key Advantages of Sleeve Gastrectomy:
- Minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure
- Shorter hospital stays and faster recovery
- Significant short- and mid-term weight loss
- Average excess weight loss of about 60% at five years post-op
- Ability to tolerate a broad range of foods after recovery
Sleeve gastrectomy is a suitable option for most people with severe obesity, including those with lower BMIs who prefer a straightforward, effective solution. It’s particularly advantageous for patients living in regional areas or those with busy schedules, as it requires less intensive ongoing follow-up compared to other bariatric surgeries. This procedure is also a strong choice for super obese or high-risk patients, offering effective results with lower complication rates than more complex options like gastric bypass. In these cases, Dr Michael France may recommend sleeve gastrectomy as an initial step in a staged approach, such as performing a second-stage SADI once the patient has safely lost weight.
With more than 16 years of experience and approximately 3,000 laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomies performed, Dr France and his team are among the most experienced in Australia. Their expertise has led to consistently excellent outcomes for patients, achieving substantial weight loss while maintaining impressively low complication rates.
Most patients will be advised to follow a pre-operative diet to optimize their safety and surgical results.