- Our services
- Medical and surgical
- Bariatric surgery
Bariatric surgery
The surgery works by reducing the portion sizes you can eat, controlling hunger and may have additional hormonal and metabolic effects that promote weight loss. You are still required to follow healthy eating habits and exercise regularly to achieve optimal results.
Choosing to have bariatric surgery may not be an easy decision and can follow a long weight management battle. We work closely with you and your general practitioner (GP) to help you understand the physical and emotional changes you may experience.
Our expert surgical teams use the latest minimally invasive techniques in weight loss surgery to help you recover faster and with less pain compared to open surgery. In most cases, your hospital stay will range between one and four days depending on the procedure.
Bariatric surgery procedures
Procedures include:
Gastric sleeve
This procedure reduces the size of the stomach by surgically removing about two thirds of the outer part of the stomach. This leaves a long, narrow tube or sleeve which means you will feel full after consuming much less food. Removing most of the upper stomach (fundus) also decreases levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. This is the most common weight loss procedure performed in Australia.
Gastric banding or lap-banding
An inflatable silicone band is tied around the upper end of the stomach, near the food pipe. It can be adjusted by injecting or removing fluid from a port placed under the skin. The pressure of the band forces you to eat slowly and reduces appetite. The band is removable if required.
Gastric bypass
There are many different types of gastric bypass. The stomach is usually divided into two sections with food only going into the smaller section. The small bowel is often also divided and rejoined so that food bypasses the larger section of stomach and the first part of the duodenum where digestion starts. This procedure may have particular advantages if you have type 2 diabetes or gastric reflux.
Intragastric balloon
A silicon balloon is inserted into the stomach via the mouth and food pipe (oesophagus) and inflated under vision using a fibreoptic telescope (endoscopy). Once inflated it restricts the amount you can eat and reduces hunger. It can be performed as a day procedure. The balloon must be removed after six months, through an endoscopy.
Benefits of bariatric surgery
Some benefits of bariatric surgery may include:
- significant and sustained weight loss
- increased energy
- reduced blood pressure
- reduced risk of diabetes, heart attack, stroke and other obesity-related conditions
- better overall health and wellbeing.
These benefits depend on your particular circumstances and require you to fully participate in necessary before and after care and management. You should consult a specialist in this area before deciding whether surgery is suitable for you.
Self-funded hospital package: Bariatric surgery at St John of God Murdoch Hospital.
If you do not have private health insurance, you can access treatment in our Hospital through our 'self-funded care' option. This is a simple process where you pay in advance from your own pocket or via a payment plan. Find out more.
You are eligible for this package if you:
- Are 18-55 years of age
- Have a BMI less than 45
- Weigh up to 150kg
- Have no more than two significant medical issues
- Are Medicare registered
- Are surgeon approved
Included in our Self-funded Hospital Package:
- Hospital fee including two night stay, theatre and prosthesis fee
- Surgeon’s operation fee and clinic fee
- Surgical Assistant fee
- Anaesthetist fee
- Postoperative surgical and bariatric GP consultations
Not included in our Self-funded Hospital Package:
- Pre-operative appointments
- Dietetic aftercare
- Discharge medications from Hospital
- Blood tests and diagnostic imaging in Hospital
Surgeon: Dr Ruth Blackham
Price: $21,499
For more information please contact:
Aurora Bariatrics
Tel: 08 6478 7631
Email: [email protected]
Or visit Self funded care for more information on our self funded options.
Learn more at our patient information seminars
Our free patient information seminars are run by top specialists and cover a range of topics. They are designed to help community members better understand the treatment options, procedures and services on offer at St John of God Murdoch Hospital.
Costs and fee payment options
If you have private health insurance, the costs for your hospital stay and specialist fees may be covered by your health fund, based on your level of cover.
If you don’t have private health insurance, you can access treatment at a St John of God Health Care hospital through our self-funded care option.
When you use your private health insurance, you get benefits that include access to St John of God Health Care private hospital facilities, your choice of specialist, minimal wait times, and with an eligible policy most of your hospital costs can be covered by your private health insurance fund.
You should contact your health insurer to understand your level of cover, and whether your policy is subject to additional fees such as a hospital excess or other ‘out-of-pocket’ expenses. Your health insurer will also be able to assist in understanding if you will have doctor, radiology and pathology out-of-pocket costs.
Patients who don’t have private health insurance can choose to access St John of God Health Care private hospital services and treatments by paying fees themselves.
By accessing our self-funded care option, you’ll be able to avoid wait times and have your surgery or treatment with your choice of specialist at a St John of God Health Care private hospital.
- Learn more and enquire about the self-funded care option.
- Call 1300 940 199 to get a quote for self-funded treatment.
If you have received an invoice for an expense associated with treatment from a St John of God Health Care service you can pay your bill online.
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