The cost of sleeve gastrectomy is influenced by various factors. Read on to know what all affects the surgery cost and how to decide on the best option regarding the same…
In a quest to get the perfect figure or body shape, we tend to go to any limits. There are countless diets out there which assure a person a ridiculous amount of weight loss in record time. However, despite trying out all of these weight loss diets, you still do not really see any significant amount of weight loss, which only makes you go back to eating junk with a vengeance, which in turn leads to weight gain rather than weight loss. And so, the ways of weight loss slowly became more and more invasive and today, the treatment of choice when it comes to surgical options is gastrectomy and in that, sleeve gastrectomy is specially favored. However, one factor that often worries people is the cost of this surgery. Before we go on to discuss more about that, let us first see what exactly is the procedure about and how it is done.
Sleeve gastrectomy surgery is a procedure wherein the stomach is reduced to more than half of its original size. A large portion of the stomach is removed and then, the edges are reconnected to one another with the help of surgical staples, so that the stomach now, instead of its original ‘J’ shape, resembles a sleeve. Due to this decrease in the size of the stomach, the person’s appetite drastically reduces and so, he eats less and ends up losing weight.
Cost of the Surgery
Now, coming to the all important question of the cost of a sleeve gastrectomy procedure. The cost of the procedure depends on many factors, due to which no fixed amount can be quoted. Thus, there is a range when it comes to its cost. These factors that influence the cost of the procedure include:
- The area where you are getting this surgery done plays a role in determining the amount you’ll have to shell out. Usually, the cost of the procedure is nearly a third higher if it is done in an urban area like New York as against a smaller state or place.
- The surgeon/s involved will also play a role in fixing the cost. If a very well-known or experienced surgeon is on board, then you can expect the cost to increase. The surgeon assigned to you will depend on your case and the hospital where you are getting the procedure done.
- You may or may not require an overnight stay in the hospital, depending on your case and on whether any possible complications arise. If you do need to stay in the hospital overnight, then needless to say, the cost of the surgery will increase accordingly.
- The surgery cost may or may not be influenced by whether or not medical insurance is covering it.
Now, coming to the actual figure of the cost of a sleeve gastrectomy. This surgery could put you back by anywhere between USD 5000 to USD 10,000 or even more. As mentioned earlier, this cost will vary from place to place. If you opt for this surgery in another country, like India, then the cost is considerably lesser, although the travel expenses need to be weighed out. The fees charged includes the fees of the surgeons that will be operating, the hospital fee, the fee of the anesthetist who will be helping in the surgery and fees of the medical tests and investigations that will need to be carried out before and after the procedure.
This has become a common obesity surgery. It is best to ask your bariatric surgeon regarding all the parameters surrounding the cost of this procedure, so that you may make an informed decision regarding the same.
