What you need to know about Gastric Sleeve in Malaysia

Gastric Sleeve Surgery is a weight loss procedure in which a large part of the stomach is surgically removed, reducing the stomach size by up to 85%, with the remaining portion of the stomach looking like a banana or a sleeve. Given the severely reduced stomach size, patients are unable to consume and digest as much food before quashing their hunger and feeling full - as a result, rapid weight loss can be achieved. This type of surgery is non-reversible and should only be considered as a final option.

A person is termed obese if their body mass index (BMI) is greater than 40 and their weight is 100 lbs / 50 kg more than their ideal weight. For these people, Bariatric Surgery is an available option. There are many associated risks concerned with Obesity that can lead to hypertension, infertility, diabetes, sleep apnea, and much more. When methods, such as dieting and exercising do not work, a Gastric Sleeve procedure can be the final solution, but not everyone is a good candidate and each individual should carefully consider the best options available to them, considering present condition, health history, cost, recovery time, success rate and pros and cons of the surgery. Alternatively, a Gastric Balloon may be preferred instead - see below for more information on this non-invasive procedure.

MyMediTravel currently lists 3 facilities in Malaysia offering Gastric Sleeve procedures - see above for the complete list, along with estimated prices. The price of a Gastric Sleeve is usually standardized across all patients but a pre-assessment by the surgeon will confirm the price prior to traveling. For a personalized quote Click Here to submit your details

What Does The Procedure Involve?

Surgery is performed under general anesthesia using a laparoscope, with several small incisions being made on the belly, a tube fitted with a camera (laparoscope) is then inserted through these incisions to give a clear picture of the insides. The surgeon will view these images, before beginning the process of surgically removing up to 85% of the stomach's volume using special surgical instruments. The remaining stomach pouch now resembles a dramatically reduced sleeve or banana. All the instruments are removed and the incisions are stitched and bandages applied to the wounds.

How Long Should I Stay in Malaysia?

Gastric sleeve surgery is an inpatient procedure that lasts about one hour in the operation theatre. After this, you are moved to a recovery room where your vitals are monitored. A two to three days hospital stay is required after surgery and you are discharged when your condition is stable. You should stay in Malaysia for at least 7-8 days for follow up check-ups. During this period, you are kept under review and the stitches are removed after 5 to 7 days.

What's the Recovery Time?

It will take two to three months to get back to normal meals and the amount of food you will eat is considerably decreased. You will likely suffer from a swollen and sore stomach for several days, with medicines being prescribed to help deal with the pain during this period. After two to four weeks, you can return to some normal activities, however, on average, six weeks of rest is required. As it is laparoscopic surgery, less time is required to recover and scars are small which fade away over time.

What About Aftercare?

The following are some points to consider after leaving the hospital:

Intake only liquids for the first two to three days. After this, you can start taking pureed food and shakes. You will have to continue with this for at least 4 weeks. After which you can start eating solid food items. Do not eat very heavy food items. Avoid drinking water with food, as it fills your small stomach immediately.
Follow a proper diet plan as you will have to fulfill your nutritional requirements with a smaller amount of food.
Take multivitamins and minerals daily. Especially vitamin B12, as pernicious anemia needs to be prevented.
Do not climb up the stairs, also, do not bend. Avoid those activities which can put stress on your abdomen.
Change your bandage regularly and do not let it get wet as this can cause infection.
Ensure you have regular check-ups and your weight loss is recorded during these visits.
Take your painkillers regularly to relieve yourself from the post-surgery pain.

What's the Success Rate Like?

You can expect to lose 60% of your excess weight within 12 to 18 months post-surgery. The Gastric Sleeve is now the most popular form of Bariatric Surgery based on the extremely high success rates seen across the world. Patients can expect a huge decrease in weight, coupled with a vast improvement in health conditions and a reduction in such diseases as diabetes.

Are there Alternative Bariatric Procedures Available?

The following are some non-surgical or minimally invasive alternatives to gastric sleeve surgery:

Weight losing drugs: with this method, some drugs are prescribed which can help with the weight loss process. You can lose 5% to 10% of your excess weight in one year through this and it is known as pharmacotherapy.
VBLOC therapy: with this therapy, a pacemaker device is implanted into the skin of your abdominal wall. The device is connected to electrodes that are placed at the trunk of the vagus nerve through small incisions. Vagus nerve signals can be periodically blocked to reduce your eating desire and it is a minimally invasive procedure.

Are there Other Alternative Bariatric Procedures?

1. Gastric Band - Considered a reversible Bariatric Surgery option, a silicone device is fitted at the top portion of the stomach, cutting off the bottom section and creating a small stomach pouch above. The reduced stomach size now means the volume of food consumed is much smaller before the patient becomes full, thus resulting in rapid weight loss. Once the desired weight is achieved, the band can be surgically removed.

2. Gastric Bypass - The stomach is divided into two parts; a small upper pouch and a large lower ‘remnant’ pouch. The small intestine is rearranged accordingly, bypassing the large pouch and thus significantly reducing the volume of the stomach.

3. Gastric Balloon - This non-invasive procedure does not involve surgery and instead an inflatable balloon-like device is endoscopically placed into the stomach and inflated, thus reducing the capacity of the stomach. with the balloon occupying most of the stomachs volume, the patient becomes full much quicker, leading to rapid weight loss. Once the desired weight is achieved, the balloon is deflated and removed.

Gastric Sleeve in and around Malaysia

About Malaysia

Malaysia is a rich culturally-oriented tourist destination and has a beautiful blend of modernization with a relaxed lifestyle. The population of the country is 32 Million people and Malaysia’s economy ranks in the fourth position in terms of size in Southeast Asia, The electronics, automotive, and construction industries are the biggest industries in Malaysia. The capital is Kuala Lumpur and It is the country’s largest urban area and is the cultural, commercial, and transportation center.

Today, Malaysia is a well-recognized country for its superior medical facilities at very affordable prices when compared to other major medical countries of the world. The Ministry of Finance predicts that the number of medical tourists will increase to over 2,000,000 million by 2020 largely due to the exemption of taxes on medical bills.

The cities that top the list of medical travel include Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Selangor, Sarawak, and Melaka. Statistics reveal that among the 1.2 million patients who have visited Malaysia for medical care in 2017, 600,000 alone were from Indonesia. The most-sought-after medical procedures are cosmetic surgery, Brazilian butt-lift, and dental surgery. Malaysia is a favorite destination among medical tourists globally for the following reasons.

The Country possesses a plethora of world-class hospitals that have high-tech medical equipment.
All treatment plans match very high ethical medical standards.
The doctors and paramedical staff are well-qualified.
All procedures will cost you 50% less than other well known medical countries.
English is a major language and there is good two-way communication between the doctors/medical staff and the patients.
After an elective surgical operation, many patients will stay on in Malaysia to holiday and recuperate.

Columbia Asia Extended Care Hospital, Selangor, Sunway Velocity Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Sunway Medical Centre, Selangor, are a few of the medical tourism hospitals with five-star ratings in this Country.

Popular parts of Malaysia

It is easy to see why tourists love Malaysia. Once you discover the magic the country has to offer, you will definitely want to revisit.

Kuala Lumpur has a mix of Malay, Indian and Chinese influence which gives you a great selection of culinary delights to explore in this city. Interesting sights such as the Petronas Towers which is one of the tallest twin towers in the world. the Perdana Lake Gardens and the Menara KL Tower provide plenty of enjoyable distractions.
Penang is an island on the west coast and the colonial city of Georgetown was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site and you can enjoy the museums, seaside fort, historic buildings. Penang is considered one of the best places in Southeast Asia to sample delicious street food of all types.

Some of the world-class cities that you need to visit are Malacca, Langkawi, Kuching, Spaden, Johar Bahru and Taiping.

Weather and Climate in Malaysia

Malaysia enjoys tropical weather year-round however due to its proximity to water the climate is often quite humid. Despite this, the weather is never too hot and temperatures range from a mild 20°C to 30°C average throughout the year; however, the highlands experience cooler temperatures

The best time to visit the east coast is from March to September as it is drier than the rest of Malaysia. November to August is the best time to visit the west coast as the heaviest showers are from September to October.

Getting around in Malaysia

The Country has a well-developed transport network and efficient rail links which makes all travel around the country easy.

It is advisable to book domestic transport well in advance during the main festivals, such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Pusa and Hari Raya Haji. Domestic flights and domestic express bus services are often sold out weeks before these festivals. All the major cities in Malaysia have an airport and most budget airlines operate into the country.

Transportation in larger cities is good with many different means of transport. In Kuala Lumpur, there are buses, minibusses (bas-mini), taxis, pedicabs (trishaws), as well as trains.

In Malaysian towns and cities, various modes of transport are used, including ferry services. In cities, the rail network is a good way to get around, especially the KL Monorail and transit trains.

Tourist Visas in Malaysia

The residents of the following countries holding a valid passport are the ones required to apply for a Malaysian tourist visa. China, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Serbia, and Montenegro

All other nationalities will not need a visa to visit Malaysia. You will normally be given permission to stay for 3 months on arrival. Visas for longer stays or for non-tourist purposes must be obtained from the nearest Malaysian diplomatic mission before you travel.

The Malaysian authorities are running a vigorous campaign against illegal immigration. Don’t overstay your visa, or violate the terms of entry. Even if you overstay for just a few days, you can be fined, detained, deported and blacklisted. Flight costs will be the responsibility of the individual.

Additional Information

Local currency: Ringgit, denoted as RM, is the national Malaysian Currency. Printed in various colors, size, and physical appearance, the Bank Negara Malaysia and the National Bank of Malaysia control the issuing of currency. Malaysia follows the Chinese Model where it has cut itself away from comparing it to the US dollars. The Malaysian currency is as such not traded internationally.
Money and Payments: world-class restaurants and retail stores accept all forms of Credit cards. In case you are not holding the requisite quantity of local currency with you, you can exchange them at exchange bureaus. You can even take out cash from the ATMs.
Local language: The official language is Malay and English is also widely spoken, the state has a cosmopolitan population, languages such as Arabic, Hindi, Tamil, are also spoken.
Public holidays: The local population celebrates the Gregorian New year as well as the Chinese New Year. Since a large part of the population is Indian, Malaysia also celebrates some of the traditional Indian festivals such as Pongal, Diwali and Tamil New Year.

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Gastric Sleeve in Malaysia

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Prices starting from $7,256

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3 clinics available in Malaysia

2-4 weeks of recovery time

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