Chronic obesity and being overweight are very common, with many people struggling with how to effectively lose weight. Diet, exercise, medication, and surgery are all options. Most people know of surgery or someone having had this, but what is it exactly and should I consider it?
What is weight loss surgery?
Weight loss surgery is a proven method to substantially lower a person’s weight when they have otherwise been struggling. Talk to Dr. Phil Le Page and the team at Northern Beaches Hospital and you’ll quickly realise that the approach to weight loss goes beyond a surgical procedure. It embraces long-term care and how you see yourself.
The goal is a healthier you. It’s your body. Your life. And we believe you deserve the best it has to offer.
Also known as bariatric surgery, weight loss surgery uses advanced procedures and surgical treatment to assist patients with weight loss and treat other weight-related health problems such as diabetes. There are different types of surgery, and they’re listed below. As a bariatric surgeon, I work with patients to help them achieve sustainable weight loss and improve their medical conditions, ultimately improving quality of life.
Weight loss surgery has been recognised by Medicare for decades, and also subsidised by Medicare when clinically indicated.
Weight loss surgery is not liposuction or fat removal/tummy tuck – these are cosmetic surgery procedures and cosmetic surgery is not subsidised by Medicare. Cosmetic surgery aims to improve appearance rather than your health. Some patients may choose to have cosmetic surgery after losing substantial weight.
Weight loss procedures
At Nothern Beaches Hospital, I use the latest technology to perform minimally-invasive surgery, this includes:
- Gastric sleeve surgery
- Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
- Single Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (SAGH)
- Loop-Duodenal Switch
- Revision bariatric procedures
Download a weight loss factsheet here
Is weight loss surgery right for me?
The first step is considering if you have struggled with your weight long-term and have tried dieting and exercise. A body mass index (BMI) over 30 at least is required. Above a BMI of 30, both you and your doctor (GP, endocrinologist, bariatric surgeon, etc) then consider to what degree your weight is affecting your health or risk of developing health problems.
Talk to your GP if you haven’t already. They’ll discuss weight loss surgery with you and help you understand the risks and potential benefits of weight loss surgery. If you want to take the next step, let your GP know you’re interested in having weight loss surgery at Northern Beaches Hospital. They can refer you to see Dr. Phil Le Page for a consultation.
Weight loss surgery is a major life-changing procedure. It involves a commitment to making life-long changes to your diet, exercise, and lifestyle to help you maintain a healthy weight after surgery.
Join Dr. Phil Le Page on a Facebook Live on Wednesday 22nd February 2023. Details can be found here.
Dr Phil Le Page has established himself as a highly sought after and respected Sydney surgeon. His main expertise includes keyhole and laparoscopic surgery (such as Hernias, Gallstones) and weight-loss or bariatric surgery, specialised upper gastro-intestinal surgery (such as reflux, oesophageal and stomach cancer) and endoscopy.
I review patients (referred by their GP or specialist) in one of my rooms based in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, North Shore, Concord and Western Sydney. It is also important in my field to maintain emergency surgery skills and I do this by working at the emergency departments of Northern Beaches Hospital.
I always ensure I maintain up to date skills and knowledge through attending and speaking at conferences, and by reviewing contemporary journals. I also audit my patients’ outcomes through Official National Patient Audits such as ANZGOSA and the Bariatric Surgery Registry.
I grew up and attended school in Sydney & Melbourne, then graduated with honours in M.B.B.S. from Melbourne University in 2001. During my final year of medicine I was proud to be awarded the J.P.Ryan prize for Surgery. In my first two years as a doctor I worked in a number of medical fields to gain a breadth of experience before choosing to train in General Surgery at the Royal Melbourne and Austin Hospitals. It was a very happy day for me to receive my Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons (RACS) in 2011 during an International RACS Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
My early training allowed me to develop the advanced skills needed in performing such operations as keyhole/laparoscopic groin and abdominal wall hernias and keyhole gallbladder surgery (Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy), with additional advanced skills of removing gallstones from near the pancreas. Endoscopy (gastroscopy) and colonoscopy were also key features and I have continued to perform these to date.
I chose to sub-specialise in Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery after realising my enthusiasm for tackling the challenging technical aspects and disease types of this surgical field. Again, with the goal of helping each individual I treat. Such examples of my interest included training in keyhole Hiatus Hernia Surgery which is undertaken through the diaphragm and just behind the heart…….to being right in the frontline of helping to manage the increasing burden of obesity for individuals and our society…….and also the satisfaction of a collaborative therapeutic approach to managing patients who develop Upper GastroIntestinal Malignancies.