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Gastric sleeve, gastric bypass or Weight Doctors SLEEVE®: how the stomach reduction procedures work, how they differ and which option suits whom.
Medically reviewed byPriv.-Doz. Dr. med. Dörte WichmannSpecialist in visceral surgery & expert in endobariatricsLast updated:
Being overweight, and especially severe excess weight (obesity), can lead to serious health problems:
If changing your diet and exercising have not brought the results you hoped for, a stomach reduction can be one way forward. Studies show that obesity surgery procedures not only help with weight loss but can also markedly improve many related conditions.
Alongside the surgical procedures, there is now stomach reduction without an operation: the Weight Doctors SLEEVE® reduces the stomach endoscopically, that is, during a gastroscopy.
Which procedure suits you depends on your BMI, your weight-loss goal, related conditions and your own preferences. The most important differences at a glance:
| Feature | Gastric sleeve | Gastric bypass | Weight Doctors SLEEVE® |
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | surgical, keyhole technique | surgical, keyhole technique | endoscopic, minimally invasive |
| incisions and scars | small scars | 3 small incisions | none |
| Stomach reduction | 75–80 % | 85–90 % | 55–60% or 70–75%, depending on the variant |
| Procedure duration | approx. 75 minutes | approx. 120–150 minutes | 30–60 minutes |
| Stay | 1 night as an inpatient | 1–3 nights as an inpatient | outpatient, approx. 4–5 hours |
| Fit to socialise | after 10–14 days | after 10–14 days | after 3–4 days |
| Reversibility | not reversible | partly reversible | intended to last, can be extended in modules |
What the procedures cost and when German statutory health insurance may pay can be found in the price overview and under Cost coverage by statutory health insurance.
Weight Doctors® offer both operations as Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®, mainly for higher BMI values.
With the Weight Doctors SLEEVE®, the stomach reduction is carried out endoscopically, without incisions and without scars. A special endoscope is passed through the mouth into the stomach. Using fine instruments, the stomach wall is folded from the inside and stitched, so that the stomach volume falls by up to 75%. Weight Doctors® offer both the temporary stomach reduction with the gastric balloon and the permanent one with the Weight Doctors SLEEVE®.
The Weight Doctors SLEEVE® is tailored to your needs. Depending on your BMI and weight-loss goal, there are three variants; all use pose® 3.0 Double Helix or OverStitch NXT™.
| Feature | Endo sleeve | Extended Sleeve | Extended Sleeve+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended BMI | 27–40 | 35–49 | 35–49 |
| Stomach reduction | 55–60 % | 70–75 % | 70–75 % |
| Weight-loss goal | up to 30 kg | up to 40 kg | up to 50 kg |
| Accompanying therapy | GLP-1 optional | GLP-1 optional | hydroGMA included |
The weight-loss goal describes what may be possible. Results vary from person to person and depend considerably on your own cooperation.
In clinical studies on endoscopic stomach reduction, participants’ BMI fell on average from 37 to 30. More than 5,000 patients have already been treated with the Weight Doctors SLEEVE® at Weight Doctors®.
The film “The Weight Doctors SLEEVE® explained simply” shows how the procedure works. In the second film, a patient tells why, after careful thought and research, she chose Weight Doctors®; you will find more films in our media library.
The Weight Doctors SLEEVE® is available from €5,500, including private medical preparation and aftercare; the cost depends on the variant and your needs. Where there is a medical indication in line with the guidelines, there is a chance that your German statutory health insurance will cover the costs.
Financing through medipay is possible – fair, discreet and with an application you can complete entirely online. More under Payment in instalments.
Your question isn’t listed? Your specialist will take time for it during the consultation.
Depending on the variant, the weight-loss goal is up to 30, 40 or 50 kg. How much it is for you depends considerably on how you change your diet and exercise. Results vary from person to person.
For people with a BMI between 27 and 49. In a no-obligation consultation, we check which variant suits you.
The procedure takes 30–60 minutes and is carried out under general anaesthesia, as a rule as an outpatient. After 3–4 days, most people are ready to socialise again.
Yes, the stomach reduction with the Weight Doctors SLEEVE® is intended to last.
Serious complications are rare. Despite its minimally invasive nature, the Weight Doctors SLEEVE® remains a medical procedure with risks, which are discussed in detail in the informed-consent discussion.
GLP-1 medications have changed the treatment of obesity. In the ENDO Podcast, Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. Dörte Wichmann explains the place endoscopic procedures have today – and what comes next.
1 min
Endoscopic stomach reduction and GLP-1 therapy together: what a 2024 study shows about the combination, how the SLEEVE procedures work and who this path may be an option for.
8 min
Never really full, constantly craving something sweet or lost your sense of measure? For every weight-loss type there is a suitable medical path – from the Weight Doctors SLEEVE® to GLP-1 therapy to the gastric balloon.
5 min
* For patients with German statutory health insurance: if the medical indication is established in line with the DGAV guidelines, reimbursement may be possible.
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* For patients with German statutory health insurance: if the medical indication is established in line with the DGAV guidelines, reimbursement may be possible.
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Weight Doctors® GLP-1 pharmacotherapyMedication-based, no procedure3–12 months · from €599Medically supervised pharmacotherapy with regular progress monitoring – with no procedure at all.
No procedure
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Weight Doctors® hydroGMAEndoscopic, no incisionsapprox. 30 min · on requestLosing weight without medication: lowering the hunger hormone endoscopically – no surgery, no incisions. On its own or combined with an endo sleeve.
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Weight Doctors® GASTRIC BALLOONTemporary, also swallowable6 or 12 months · from €3,490A temporary companion for 6 or 12 months – also swallowable, with no endoscopy at all.
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Weight Doctors SLEEVE®Endoscopic, permanent30–60 min · from €5,500Permanent stomach reduction without conventional surgery – endoscopic, outpatient, without scars.
No surgeryHealth insurance cover also possible*
Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®Surgical, minimally invasive1–3 nights · from €2,900Gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery for higher BMIs, incl. private medical preliminary examination and aftercare.
With surgeryHealth insurance cover also possible*
Weight Doctors® RESHAPEAfter weight lossindividual · from €1,950Post-bariatric body contouring after successful weight loss.
After weight lossHealth insurance cover also possible*
Weight Doctors® REVISIONCorrective procedure after weight-loss surgeryindividual · from €900Corrective procedure when earlier weight-loss surgery has not brought the desired success.
With surgeryHealth insurance cover also possible*
Weight Doctors® 360°Nutrition coachingper session · from €65Nutrition coaching and support in everyday life – in person, by video and in the app.
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Weight Doctors® MEMBERSHIPThe foundation of every therapyMedical oversight, app, scales, 3D Bodyscan and aftercare – the foundation of every Weight Doctors® therapy.
Weight Doctors® lipoedema surgeryLosing weight with a fat distribution disorder1.5–3 hours · from €950In lipoedema, fatty tissue increases abnormally on the legs or arms – with consultation and lipoedema surgery.
LipoedemaHealth insurance cover also possible*
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* For patients with German statutory health insurance: if the medical indication is established in line with the DGAV guidelines, reimbursement may be possible.
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