info@northernsurgicalcare.com.au
Advanced keyhole sleeve gastrectomy delivered within a comprehensive, team-based metabolic framework for sustainable weight and health management.
Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve surgery—medically termed a sleeve gastrectomy—is a highly effective, minimally invasive metabolic procedure designed to structurally alter the anatomy of the stomach. The operation transforms the stomach from an expandable, pouch-like organ into a narrow, vertical tube or “sleeve” roughly the size and shape of a banana. By permanently reducing gastric volume by approximately 80% to 90%, the procedure physically limits food capacity while causing profound, beneficial changes to the hormonal pathways that govern hunger and satiety.
At our practice, we understand that an operation is only one component of long-term metabolic rehabilitation. Dr Ashok Gunawardene delivers gastric sleeve surgery as a central pillar of Optiweight Victoria—our comprehensive, team-based weight loss clinic.
From early medical weight management adjustments and non-surgical pre-optimization to primary surgery, long-term dietetic coaching, and complex revisions, Optiweight surrounds you with a dedicated medical panel to safeguard your lifestyle transition.
For individuals mapping out a definitive treatment pathway for severe clinical obesity or associated metabolic co-morbidities (such as Type 2 diabetes or structural joint strain), a gastric sleeve provides a reliable, evidence-based biological tool to reset your body’s weight threshold. Explore our complete guide to underlying Obesity Causes & Clinical Risks.
The success of the sleeve gastrectomy relies on two distinct physiological mechanisms that work together to alter your energy balance:
Modifying your stomach architecture requires a highly structured, graduated post-operative nutritional plan to give the long, stapled margins of the sleeve time to heal securely:
1. Precise Keyhole Execution
The operation is performed under a general anesthetic using 4 to 5 micro-incisions in the upper abdomen. Dr Ashok utilizes high-definition laparoscopic guidance to divide the stomach vertically, ensuring a consistent calibration diameter. The removed portion is extracted, the staple line is carefully verified for structural integrity, and patients spend 1 to 2 nights recovering in our specialized private hospital wards.
2. Graduated Fluid and Smooth Phases (Weeks 1–2)
Immediately following surgery, your diet is restricted to thin liquids to minimize pressure on the staple line. Under the guidance of our Optiweight bariatric dietitians, you will graduate to a smooth, puréed nutritional phase by the end of the first week, focusing on meeting precise daily protein targets.
3. Soft Foods to Long-Term Solids Transition (Weeks 3–5+)
By week three, your healing sleeve can tolerate soft, moist food textures (such as minced proteins or slow-cooked variants). Around week five, you will transition carefully back to standard solid food textures, adopting lifelong eating habits built around mindful chewing, small portion sizes, and prioritizing lean, high-value nutrients.
Dr Ashok Gunawardene coordinates your elective gastric sleeve surgery utilizing modern surgical infrastructures at leading regional private centers, including **Northern Private Hospital (Epping)** and **St Vincent’s Private Hospital (Werribee)**. Your pre-surgical clinical workups, lifestyle evaluations, and multi-year post-operative clinic reviews are hosted locally at the consulting rooms closest to your front door: **Epping, Werribee, Point Cook, Wallan, or Sunbury**.
We practice complete financial transparency across all of our clinical pathways. Providing clear, upfront pricing information ensures you can plan your care timeline with absolute confidence.
Please be advised that in alignment with specialized metabolic clinical delivery models, all weight loss surgeries—including laparoscopic gastric sleeve procedures and subsequent revisions—operate entirely outside of traditional private health fund No Gap or Known Gap schemes. Because bariatric procedures require customized intra-operative technology and extensive, multi-disciplinary long-term aftercare, they carry a distinct out-of-pocket fee. A comprehensive, itemized financial consent document detailing your specific surgeon fee, assistant fees, and post-operative monitoring parameters will be provided in writing immediately following your initial clinical review.
Our central reception team is here to guide you through our clinic process and schedule your comprehensive bariatric evaluation at our nearest consulting location.