The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place NW8 9LE London
Partial stomach removal for weight loss
PARTIAL GASTRECTOMY
Part of your stomach is removed during a partial gastrectomy, to make your stomach smaller
What is a partial gastrectomy?
A partial gastrectomy works by making your stomach smaller so you'll feel full sooner and eat less.
If you have a high BMI score (over 40), surgery may help you to lose weight long-term.
It may also help if you have a BMI over 35, and have other medical problems such as high blood pressure.
Need to know
This operation is carried out under a general anaesthetic. It may be carried out as open surgery or minimally invasive keyhole surgery. Your consultant will let you know which option is best for you.
Your consultant will remove the lower half of your stomach and close off the first part of your small intestine, called the duodenum. This is the part of your small intestine that receives partially digested food from your stomach. Your consultant will then connect the remaining part of your stomach to your bowel.
Your consultant will check your BMI and carry out a detailed pre-surgery assessment before letting you know if surgery is suitable for you. Like all procedures, there may some risks and side effects involved. Your consultant will explain these to you. As you're having a general anaesthetic, your consultant will let you know how long you should avoid eating and drinking beforehand. They'll let you know if you need to do anything else to prepare and answer any questions you might have.
You'll need to have a catheter after surgery. You won't be very mobile so it'll allow you to empty your bladder without going to the toilet. You might also have a tube passing through your nose into your stomach or small intestine. Until you can eat normally, you'll get the nutrients you need through a small tube in one of your veins or into your bowel.
You'll be given pain relief to help you feel more comfortable. You will be cared for in hospital for at least two nights. It could take at least two weeks at home for you to fully recover.
Your consultant will let you know when you can get back to your usual routine. They'll also give you dietary advice.
Paying for medical treatment
You don't need medical insurance to have fast access to our top consultants, extensive range of treatments, diagnostic tests and surgical procedures at our world-class facilities.
Our Partial stomach removal for weight loss locations
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London
London Digestive Centre
41 Welbeck Street W1G 8EA London
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.