Bariatric or weight loss surgery refers to a number of different procedures that can be performed to assist in significant weight loss. Ormiston Hospital has a skilled set of professionals who deliver the Ormiston Hospital Weight Loss Service. This includes a dedicated team of highly experienced surgeons, a physiotherapist and nutritionist. The service is a 12 month weight loss programme that supports patients on their journey to wellness.

Weight loss surgery has proved to transform health outcomes in patients with other comorbidities. Obesity related conditions such as heart disease, asthma, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea and type II diabetes and arthritis can be debilitating for a lot of people and often prevent weight loss. Weight loss surgery can help resolve these issues, and is highly recommended when diet and exercise cannot help.

The aim of the surgery is to reduce the food-holding capacity of the stomach so the patient has a feeling of fullness after eating very little. Our patients succeed because they receive the support they need, this includes an expert dietitian and physiotherapist.  

Most patients achieve good to excellent weight loss results following surgery, typically this is 50-60% of excess weight. There is no amount of weight loss that is guaranteed.

Procedures fall into three main types:

Malabsorptive - these procedures involve bypassing a section of the small intestine thus reducing the amount of food absorbed into the body.

Restrictive - these procedures involve reducing the size of the stomach, usually by creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach which limits the amount of food that can be eaten.

Malabsorptive/Restrictive Combination - these procedures combine both techniques e.g. gastric bypass surgery in which a small stomach pouch is formed and its outlet connected to part of the small intestine.