Gastric sleeve (sleeve gastrectomy) — Australian guide + provider directory

Sleeve gastrectomy is permanent — the removed stomach is gone. Compared to gastric bypass, sleeve is technically simpler (~60 minutes operative time), has lower early complication rates (~2–4% vs 4–6%), and preserves normal gastrointestinal anatomy (no rerouting of bowel). The trade-off: sleeve produces slightly less weight loss than Roux-en-Y bypass at 5 years (~25% body weight vs ~30%) and offers less reflux protection — about 15% of sleeve patients develop new-onset gastro-oesophageal reflux disease requiring management.

Eligibility in Australia: BMI 35+ with weight-related health conditions (Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnoea, severe joint disease) OR BMI 40+ regardless. Pre-op pathway is typically 3-6 months: bariatric surgeon consultation, **dietitian** (mandatory APD-led), **psychologist** (assessment for binge eating + readiness), sometimes **endocrinologist** (diabetes optimisation). Most surgeons require 2-week pre-op very-low-calorie diet (Optifast or equivalent) to shrink the liver and reduce operative risk.

Post-op recovery: 2 nights in hospital typical, 2 weeks off work (desk-based jobs return earlier; manual jobs 4-6 weeks). Diet progresses through 4 stages over 6 weeks: clear fluids → puree → soft solids → normal texture small portions. **Lifelong daily multivitamin** is mandatory — sleeve patients risk B12, iron, folate, calcium, vitamin D deficiency. Annual blood test surveillance is the standard.

Volume matters enormously. Australian surgeons performing 100+ sleeve cases per year have measurably lower complication rates than those performing under 50. Ask surgeon directly: "How many sleeve gastrectomies have you personally performed in the last 12 months?" Confident high-volume answer is the strongest single quality signal.