Gastric band surgery

What is it?

A gastric band is a small device (a silicone ring) that is placed around your stomach during a laparoscopic (key-hole) surgery. The band divides your stomach into two parts. The small upper stomach pouch limits the stomach’s capacity and increases the feeling of fullness so it helps you lose weight. After the implantation the band has to be adjusted (usually a few times before the suitable size is reached). Adjustment is a quick and simple 10-15 minute procedure. A doctor adds or removes fluid from the band via the small access port which is located just under the skin. The first adjustment of the gastric band is usually performed six weeks after your abroad surgery and can be done in Poland. Following adjustments can be done at local weight loss clinics (own arrangements required). The doctor provides you with all the info on how to ‘cooperate’ with the gastric band to get the best weight loss results after the abroad surgery. The bands are designed for lifelong implantation although they can be removed if needed.

Who it is for?

Gastric surgery in Poland is an ideal solution for those who can’t afford high surgery fees or simply don’t want to overpay in the UK, Ireland, or Scandinavian countries. The best candidates are between 18 and 60 years old and significantly overweight (BMI 35 or higher). Patients with BMI between 30 and 35 will be considered if their obesity is associated with some other health issues. Patients are initially qualified based on a medical questionnaire. After your arrival, some additional medical tests are performed (blood tests, ECG, chest X-ray). You will also have a face-to-face consultation with our surgeon and an anaesthetist.

In order to check if you qualify please fill in the medical questionnaire HERE.

Surgery info

The surgery takes up to 1 hour 30 minutes and is performed under general anaesthetics. It is carried out by a fully qualified and experienced surgeon in a presence of a certified anaesthetist in a sterile operating room in a private hospital. Laparoscopic surgeries are minimally invasive and leave much less scarring than other obesity surgeries. The surgeon uses slender surgical instruments passed through small incisions in the abdomen. This method causes much less pain and fewer wound complications than open operations. Neither a long hospital stay nor a long recovery period is needed.

Hospital stay

After surgery you will stay one night in the hospital at one of the post-operative rooms. During that time you will be looked after by a doctor and nurses. They will provide all needed medication and meals.

Hospital info

The procedure is available at a private hospital ‘Bydgoszcz Osielsko clinic’. More details about our venues in ‘Our clinics’ section.

Required stay in Poland

5 nights in total. Due to safety reasons, we recommend staying in Poland a minimum of 3 nights after the procedure. The first of those nights is spent in a hospital. It is necessary to arrive a couple of days before the procedure as the medical tests take place in the morning one day prior to surgery.

Accommodation

While in Poland, we recommend staying in one of the ‘Bydgoszcz hotels‘. Please find more info in ‘Accommodation’.

Contraindications

Mental disorders (schizophrenia, severe depression, bulimia, suicidal tendencies), endocrine disease (adrenal or thyroid dysfunction), abuse of alcohol or drugs, inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract, cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Important to female patients! Please note, the procedure is not possible while on period.

Possible complications

The gastric band treatment is relatively safe and complications are rare. Some of them are internal infection, stomach pains, vomiting, constipation, pouch dilatation, port dislocation, band slippage/leakage. Some of the complications may require surgical intervention, including removal of the band.

Post-operative guidelines

Following provided diet recommendations, taking prescribed medications, taking care of the dressing changes where the incisions were made, arranging stitches removal (usually 7-10 days after the procedure). You are advised to start exercising once fully recovered from surgery. In order to achieve the best possible results, we recommend working with specialists – a personal trainer and nutritionist (own arrangements). The implanted band is empty, the first fill is to be conducted 6-8 weeks after the procedure. You are advised to look for an aftercare clinic locally for your fills and possibly some other required services. The fills can be also provided by us in Poland at an additional cost. After the procedure, you will be provided with a discharge letter based on which you can have band adjustments anywhere in the world really. You do not need to travel to Poland but you can if you want to. The number of required fills is a personal issue, usually between 1 and 5 single adjustments are needed. After each fill, you need to wait at least a few weeks before you can have another one done.

Surgery cost

16 200 PLN / £3115 / €3600

This includes a consultation with a surgeon and an anaesthetist, general anaesthetics, the cost of the band, one night of hospital stay after surgery, and a check-up the following day.

Additional costs are required pre-op medical tests (recommended to be done before arrival in order to qualify you for the procedure). Can be done with us after arrival (cost around 250 PLN / £47 / €56). Medications prescribed by the doctor (cost around 500 PLN / £93 / €109) to be purchased at a local pharmacy.

At admission to the hospital, you are required to have an abdominal binder (compression belt), a special leg massager belt, and compression stockings for after surgery with you. We recommend purchasing them prior to arrival as you need to take your own measurements in order to get the right size and also due to the possible language barrier at the pharmacy in Poland. Please note, that we do not offer assistance in purchasing those items in Poland.

Non-Polish-speaking patients and those coming over without a companion are strongly recommended to purchase transfers and an English-speaking assistance package – see details in the “Transfers” section below.

Flights

Return flight prices from most popular locations start from around £50 / €56.

Bygdoszcz airport BZG – 15-min drive from the town

Poznań airport POZ – around 2h drive (own arrangements or additional charge for the transfers applies – subject to availability)

Gdańsk airport GDN – around 2,5h drive (own arrangements or additional charge for the transfers applies – subject to availability)

Transfers and assistance

Purchase recommended to non-Polish-speaking patients and those coming over without a companion. Included transfers and assistance of an English-speaking resident. The basic price is 850 PLN / £157 / €185 per package (for one patient and one non-patient companion) and will be higher if some individual changes are made in a program of stay.