Gastric Sleeve (Sleeve Gastrectomy)

What sleeve gastrectomy is

In a sleeve the surgeon takes out about three quarters of the stomach along its greater curvature. What remains is a narrow tube roughly the size of a banana. Two things change at once: the volume of food you can eat drops sharply, and the removed part of the stomach was producing most of the hunger hormone, so appetite itself becomes easier to manage.

The intestine is not rerouted, which keeps the operation technically simpler than a bypass and preserves the normal path of food.

Who the sleeve suits best

The sleeve is typically considered by people with obesity who want substantial weight loss without an intestinal bypass. At our centre the method is described as suited to obesity without marked reflux, because removing the stomach portion that acts as a valve can make reflux worse in some patients; with pronounced reflux the surgeon will usually point to a bypass instead.

Contraindications are set individually: active eating disorders, conditions that make surgery or anaesthesia unsafe, and untreated causes of weight gain all need attention first. The bariatric surgeon makes the final call at the consultation, based on your BMI, related conditions and goals.

How the operation is performed

The surgery is laparoscopic: the surgeon works through small punctures with a camera, without a large incision. It is done under general anaesthesia. After the operation you stay under observation in the clinic for 1 to 5 days, depending on the extent of surgery and your condition.

Before the date you pass a standard set of tests and meet the surgeon, who confirms the method and fixes the price in the contract. The first consultation is free.

The weeks before surgery have their own tasks: the surgeon may ask for a reduced-calorie diet so the operation goes easier, medicines that affect clotting pause on written instruction, and alcohol and cigarettes are set aside. The staged diet for the first weeks is worth reading before the operation rather than after, because the switch to liquids and purées is the first test of the new habits.

Recovery and what the timeline looks like

• First hours. You can sit up, stand and drink fluids.
• Days 1–5. Observation at the clinic.
• Weeks 2–4. Return to office work; physical work after about a month and a half.
• Months 1–2. Staged diet, from liquids to soft to solid food, lets the stomach adapt.
• Every month. On average about 10% of excess weight comes off per month.
• 18–24 months. The final result, held by stable eating habits.

In studies, patients lose on average around 60 to 70 percent of their excess weight with a sleeve, and most of that loss happens in the first year to eighteen months.

Sleeve or bypass: the short comparison

Both operations shrink the stomach; only the bypass also reroutes food past part of the intestine. The sleeve is technically simpler and keeps digestion on its normal path, while the bypass adds a malabsorptive effect, acts more strongly on type 2 diabetes and suits patients with marked reflux. Which operation fits your health and goals is decided by the surgeon, not by a price list.

Bring your own questions to the consultation: how much of the stomach will be removed in your case, which vitamins and how often you will take them in the first year, when training and swimming return, and what the check-up calendar looks like. The answers turn into a written plan, and the plan is what makes the first year manageable.

Gastric sleeve price

A sleeve gastrectomy costs from $3,600 at our medical centre (the price without discount is $4,800). The quote covers the operation, the inpatient stay and support until the result, and it is fixed in the contract with no hidden extra charges. Coordinators answer in Telegram and WhatsApp around the clock, so you can ask about your case, send test results and book the free consultation at any hour.

Gastric sleeve: from consultation to the final result

1. Step 1. Free consultationThe bariatric surgeon reviews your history, BMI and tests, confirms the method and fixes the price in the contract.
2. Step 2. Tests and dateStandard pre-operative tests; the surgery date is booked.
3. SurgeryLaparoscopic removal of about three quarters of the stomach under general anaesthesia, through small punctures.
4. Days 1–5Observation in the clinic; you can sit up, stand and drink within hours.
5. Weeks 2–4Office work resumes; physical work after about 1.5 months.
6. Months 1–2Staged diet from liquids to solids; the stomach adapts.
7. 18–24 monthsFinal result, on average 60–70% of excess weight lost, most of it in the first 12–18 months.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a gastric sleeve cost?

From $3,600 at our centre ($4,800 without the discount). The price covers the operation, the inpatient stay and support until the result, and it is fixed in the contract.

How is the sleeve done?

Laparoscopically, through small punctures: the surgeon removes about three quarters of the stomach along its outer curve and leaves a narrow tube. The intestine is not touched.

How long am I in the clinic?

1 to 5 days of observation after surgery, depending on the extent of the operation and your condition.

How much weight will I lose?

In studies patients lose on average around 60–70% of their excess weight, mostly in the first year to eighteen months. Your personal projection is calculated at the consultation.

When can I go back to work?

Office work after 2–4 weeks; physical work after about 1.5 months. Swimming is allowed after 30 days, other exercise returns gradually.

Why not a sleeve if I have reflux?

The sleeve can aggravate reflux, so with marked reflux surgeons usually recommend a bypass, which treats it better. The choice is made after examining you.

Related procedures

• Gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y)
• Mini gastric bypass
• Bariatric surgery: methods and prices