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Minimally invasive weight-loss surgery

Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®

Gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery for higher BMIs, including private medical preliminary and follow-up care. Surgery is performed by keyhole technique in the Weight Doctors® Nationalklinik in Wertheim – as a rule from a BMI of 40.

How your therapy is structured

Two building blocks.
One plan.

The Weight Doctors® MEMBERSHIP is the foundation of every therapy: medical oversight, progress monitoring and aftercare. The treatment you choose together with your specialist builds on it.

Building block 1

Weight Doctors® MEMBERSHIP

The foundation for every Weight Doctors® therapy – with the tools that support your treatment and record your progress for your medical consultations.

  • Weight Doctors® AppKeep an eye on weight, activity and sleep, for iOS and Android
  • Digital body scalesBluetooth scales – the readings flow straight into the app
  • 3D BodyscanMeasure body composition objectively, up to twice a year
  • Priority access to specialistsby phone, video or on site, without a long wait
  • 360 coaches and Weight Doctors® MiraNutrition and behaviour in everyday life, aftercare with your coaches
  • E-prescription servicePrescriptions issued digitally – after medical approval
More on the Membership
Building block 2

Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®

Gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery for higher BMIs, including private medical preliminary and follow-up care. Surgery is performed by keyhole technique in the Weight Doctors® Nationalklinik in Wertheim – as a rule from a BMI of 40.

Procedure
Surgical, minimally invasive
Duration
1–3 nights
Price
from £16,900
Costs

The Membership does not replace a medical decision: whether treatment makes sense, and which one, is decided by your specialist after a medical assessment.

In comparison

Gastric bypass or gastric sleeve

Two laparoscopic procedures are available. Which one suits your needs and your individual benefit–risk profile, we clarify together.

  • Gastric bypass

    Small stomach pouch with small-bowel bypass
    Technique
    Roux-en-Y or omega loop
    Recommended BMI
    over 45, in exceptional cases less
    Stomach reduction
    85–90 %
    Weight-loss goal
    significantly more than 40 kg
    Procedure duration
    about 120–150 minutes
    Hospital stay
    1–3 nights as an inpatient

  • Gastric sleeve

    Tube-shaped stomach of 150–200 ml
    Technique
    Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG)
    Recommended BMI
    over 40, in exceptional cases less
    Stomach reduction
    75–80 %
    Weight-loss goal
    40–50 kg
    Procedure duration
    about 60–90 minutes
    Hospital stay
    1 night as an inpatient

Personally here for youDr. med. Oliver Scheffel · Bariatric surgery

Your guide

Weight Doctors BARIATRICS® at a glance

What gastric bypass and gastric sleeve have in common, how they differ and how we support you before, during and after the operation.

Stomach reduction by keyhole surgery

Weight Doctors BARIATRICS® is not a single operation but a selection of minimally invasive procedures put together by our bariatric surgeons: the gastric bypass and the gastric sleeve. Both reduce the stomach permanently – depending on the procedure by up to 90%.

Surgery is laparoscopic, that is, minimally invasive by keyhole technique, under general anaesthesia and in two steps: first, fine instruments are introduced into the abdominal cavity through a few small punctures in the abdomen, then the stomach is prepared so that the desired form of reduction is achieved – with the gastric sleeve a narrow tube, with the bypass a small stomach pouch with rerouting of the small intestine. Little of this is visible from the outside.

Unlike the endoscopic Weight Doctors SLEEVE® and endoscopic stomach reduction, in which the stomach is gathered from the inside, here the reduction is carried out from the outside, in the abdominal cavity.

Hands of the surgical team guiding the instruments through small access points in the abdominal wall

Benefits of Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®

  • Keyhole surgerySurgery is minimally invasive through a few small punctures in the abdomen. What remains are scars about the size of a small mole.
  • Short hospital stayAs a rule you stay 1–3 nights as an inpatient. After 10–14 days you are presentable in public again.
  • Experienced specialistsSpecialised bariatric surgeons with Weight Doctors® quality assurance perform the operation.
  • Safely cared for after the operationThe Weight Doctors® Nationalklinik has its own intermediate care unit: if anything unexpected occurs after the operation, you continue to be cared for right on site.
  • Support includedIncluded are the preliminary examination with gastroscopy, a nutrition guide, a nutrition plan for the first 8 weeks and the Weight Doctors® App with digital scales.
  • Keeping an eye on your healthSignificant weight loss can relieve related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea or joint problems.

Who is weight-loss surgery suitable for?

For many people, severe excess weight becomes a struggle lasting years. Pathological excess weight (obesity) increases the risk of serious secondary diseases, can markedly restrict physical and mental performance and shorten life expectancy. Excess weight and obesity affect a growing number of people worldwide – you are not alone.

How much excess weight burdens your health is shown, as a first indication, by the body mass index. Leading the related conditions are type 2 diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure, which in turn can lead to heart disease; breathing problems and asthma, sleep disorders and sleep apnoea, joint problems in the arms and legs and back pain are also common.

Significant weight loss can noticeably relieve such related conditions, and in some cases they can even disappear completely. Why people with a high BMI and serious related conditions in particular can benefit, you can read in the article Weight Doctors BARIATRICS® at high BMIs. For weight-loss surgery, the following applies:

Weight Doctors® adviser in conversation with a patient
  • Recommended from a BMI above 40 (gastric sleeve) or above 45 (gastric bypass), in exceptional cases also below.
  • Especially with a BMI of 45 and well above – even if you have to lose 50, 80 or more than 100 kg of excess weight.
  • A BMI of 40 – for men often around 50 kg, for women around 40 kg of excess weight – is, with us, tendentially the lower limit. Below that, the endoscopic Weight Doctors SLEEVE® is the gentler alternative.
  • When conventional diets, medication and exercise therapies have not brought lasting success.
  • Success depends substantially on your knowledge of nutrition and exercise, your motivation and your behaviour. The changes after the operation occur quickly – you should be ready to accept them consciously.
  • A further procedure is also possible after an earlier stomach operation – even if you were operated on elsewhere. Such corrective procedures are offered by Weight Doctors® REVISION.

“Weight Doctors BARIATRICS® is really worth considering for all patients who suffer from obesity grade II and grade III and have exhausted all conservative options for long-lasting weight reduction.”

Prof. Dr. med. Karl Miller
  1. BMI from 40Lower limit for weight-loss surgery, gastric sleeve
  2. BMI from 45Gastric bypass more sensible
BMI scale according to the WHOCalculate your BMI

How the treatment works

Surgery takes place in the Weight Doctors® Nationalklinik in Wertheim – from the first consultation to the procedure in three steps:

The Weight Doctors® Nationalklinik in Wertheim from the outside
  1. ConsultationIn a detailed consultation we clarify together whether your conventional attempts to lose weight have been exhausted, whether weight-loss surgery makes sense for you and which procedure suits.
  2. PreparationA gastroenterological preliminary examination with gastroscopy clarifies whether anything speaks against the operation. You also receive a nutrition guide.
  3. SurgeryThe procedure is laparoscopic under general anaesthesia and takes 60–150 minutes depending on the method. After the procedure, qualified nursing staff monitor you continuously.

After surgery: step by step back to everyday life

So that your body copes well with the operation, you stay with us for a few days afterwards. A nutrition plan accompanies you through the first 8 weeks – this is what the path typically looks like:

  1. 1–3 nightsInpatient careBefore discharge, a few blood tests follow.
  2. after 10–14 daysFit to socialise againThe small punctures have healed, everyday life returns.
  3. Week 1–8Nutrition with a planSo that everything heals well, a liquid-based diet for 4–6 weeks; after a check-up, you gradually build your diet back up with our coaches.
  4. for lifeVitamins and check-upsNutritional supplements according to your blood values and regular check-ups; the Weight Doctors® App with digital scales accompanies you.

Safety before, during and after the operation

Your safety takes priority: medical risks and your time off are to be kept as low as possible. The procedures have been scientifically studied and are established in medicine, and the operations are performed by specialists with many years of experience in obesity surgery; the Nationalklinik’s surgical team brings more than 10 years of experience.

Current laparoscopic technology is used, as well as tested, approved instruments and materials from manufacturers such as Aesculap or Johnson & Johnson – in compliance with statutory and regulatory hygiene standards.

Theatre nurse dressing a surgeon in sterile clothing before the procedure
  • GermanyNetherlandsDr. ScheffelSpecialist in general and bariatric surgery
  • GermanyAustriaProf. MillerSpecialist in general and visceral surgery
  • GermanyM. MargolinsSpecialist in general surgery
  • GermanyM. ShalabiSpecialist in general and visceral surgery

All specialists

Keeping the success: how to prevent the yo-yo effect

Weight-loss surgery is a powerful physical aid for losing weight. The changes afterwards occur quickly, though – physically and emotionally – and can be overwhelming at first. Accept them consciously and with commitment: only then can weight loss be maintained in the long term.

The greatest danger of a relapse is persistent lack of exercise and an unbalanced diet. Anyone who largely gives up constant snacking, fast food and sugary, light and alcoholic drinks wins back a great deal of relief in everyday life. Results vary from person to person.

You are not on your own: your team supports you personally and digitally with nutrition and exercise offerings – with the Weight Doctors® App, your coach and the Weight Doctors® 360° nutrition coaching. You will find films on treatments, specialists and patient stories in our media library.

Results vary from person to person. The images show Weight Doctors® patients who have consented to their publication.

Gastric bypass and gastric sleeve: how the procedures differ

Both operations reduce the stomach permanently, but they differ markedly in detail:

Two surgeons wearing 3D glasses operating by keyhole technique, with the monitor behind them
  • Gastric bypassThe strongest change among weight-loss operations. A small pouch is formed from the upper stomach, to which part of the small intestine is connected. Up to 90% of food bypasses the remaining stomach and part of the small intestine – less fits in, and less is absorbed. More on the gastric bypass.
  • Gastric sleeveThe less invasive of the two procedures, with faster recovery. In sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), the stomach is reduced lengthwise with surgical staplers and the larger part is removed. What remains is a narrow tube of 150–200 ml. More on gastric sleeve surgery.
  • Roux-en-Y or omega loopThe bypass comes in two variants. The Roux-en-Y bypass is among the longest-established procedures in bariatric surgery; the omega-loop bypass (OLB) is also called the mini bypass, but is at least as invasive.
  • Which procedure suits youThat depends on your needs, your expectations and your individual benefit–risk profile. We therefore clarify all the prerequisites in advance and decide together.

What does weight-loss surgery cost?

Weight Doctors BARIATRICS® is available from £16,900, including private medical preliminary and follow-up care.

Prerequisites for the operation: at least 18 years of age, no existing or imminently planned pregnancy and psychological stability.

All prices

Paying in instalments: how it works

If you would like to spread the costs over a longer period, payment in instalments via our partner Ideal4Finance is possible. You decide the instalment amount and term yourself; Ideal4Finance reviews your application promptly. You submit the application together with us during your consultation, by phone or entirely paperless online – more under Pay in instalments.

The requirement is sufficient creditworthiness. In detail:

  • Main residence in Germany
  • no negative Schufa entries
  • employed or retired, with disposable income
  • Students, trainees and homemakers can enter a second person from the same household as the borrower – a parent, child, spouse or partner

Apply for instalmentsMore on instalments

Your specialists

In specialist hands.

39 doctors in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and South Africa – at the Weight Doctors® Nationalklinik in Wertheim and at your location.

  • GermanyNetherlandsDr. ScheffelSpecialist in general and bariatric surgery
  • GermanyAustriaProf. MillerSpecialist in general and visceral surgery
  • GermanyPD Dr. WichmannSpecialist in visceral surgery & expert in endobariatrics
  • GermanyM. MargolinsSpecialist in general surgery
  • GermanyM. ShalabiSpecialist in general and visceral surgery
  • GermanyNetherlandsDr. JennerSpecialist in visceral surgery / specialised visceral surgery
  • GermanyDr. SchüderSpecialist in general, visceral and vascular surgery / specialist in specialised visceral surgery
  • GermanyA. SaberSpecialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery
  • NetherlandsProf. GreveSpecialist in visceral and bariatric surgery
  • South AfricaDr. HanningtonSpecialist in surgery
  • South AfricaDr. MabeSpecialist in surgery
  • South AfricaDr. WolmaransSpecialist in surgery

All specialists

Frequently asked questions

Questions about Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®

Your question isn’t listed? Your specialist will take time for it during the consultation.

What is Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®?

Weight Doctors BARIATRICS® brings together the surgical procedures for permanent stomach reduction at Weight Doctors®: the gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgery. Both are minimally invasive by keyhole technique and include private medical preliminary and follow-up care.

From what BMI is weight-loss surgery an option?

With us, a BMI of 40 is tendentially regarded as the lower limit. The gastric sleeve is recommended from a BMI above 40, the gastric bypass from 45 – in exceptional cases also below. Adults aged 18 and over whose conventional attempts to lose weight have been exhausted are treated.

Gastric bypass or gastric sleeve – which procedure suits me?

We clarify that together in the consultation. What matters are your BMI, your weight-loss goal, related conditions such as diabetes or reflux, and your eating habits. The gastric sleeve is more suitable for weight-loss goals of 40–50 kg, the bypass for significantly more than 40 kg and for people who find it hard to give up sweets, high-fat snacks or high-calorie drinks.

What is the exact procedure at Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®?

After the consultation and a gastroenterological preliminary examination, the operation follows by keyhole technique under general anaesthesia, after which you stay 1–3 nights as an inpatient. Afterwards you follow a liquid-based diet for 4–6 weeks and gradually build your diet back up with our coaches – the individual steps are shown above under “How the treatment works”.

How long does the operation take and how long do I stay in the clinic?

Depending on the procedure, the operation takes 60–150 minutes: the gastric sleeve about 75 minutes, the gastric bypass about 120–150 minutes. Afterwards you stay 1–3 nights as an inpatient, after the gastric sleeve usually only 1 night. You are usually presentable in public after 10–14 days.

Where does the operation take place?

Surgery takes place in the Weight Doctors® Nationalklinik in Wertheim, about 40 minutes south of Frankfurt Airport. Consultation, preparation and aftercare are also possible at our locations near you.

Will I have pain after the operation, and will there be scars?

Pain is usually slight, because the operation is performed by keyhole technique and no large abdominal incision is needed. What usually remains are 3 small scars, about the size of a small mole.

What does weight-loss surgery with Weight Doctors BARIATRICS® cost?

Weight Doctors BARIATRICS® is available for self-paying patients from £16,900, including private medical preliminary and follow-up care. Part payment via Ideal4Finance is possible. You will find all prices at a glance in the services overview.

Is there anything I need to bear in mind after weight-loss surgery with Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®?

Yes. Because weight-loss surgery fundamentally changes your digestion, you must take nutritional supplements for life to prevent malnutrition: multivitamin preparations daily and, depending on your blood values, vitamin D, vitamin B, iron and calcium preparations too. You will receive a complete list of the preparations you need from your treatment team. In the long term the results are better if you eat healthily, take the prescribed preparations regularly and have your blood values checked regularly.

How do I prevent putting weight back on after weight-loss surgery?

Weight-loss surgery is a powerful aid – but how lasting the result is also depends on your everyday life. A renewed weight gain is favoured above all by lack of exercise, constant snacking, fast food and sugary, light and alcoholic drinks. Your Weight Doctors® team supports you with nutrition and exercise offerings, personally and digitally.

What benefits do I have after weight-loss surgery with Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®?

The medical and emotional benefit can appear shortly after the procedure. In the long term, weight-loss surgery can bring about the following: considerable weight loss, ideally down to normal weight; an improvement in type 2 diabetes mellitus; lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol values; fewer pauses in breathing during sleep (sleep apnoea) and less heartburn; relief for the joints with more mobility and resilience; better mood and more self-esteem; relief from asthma and fewer migraine attacks.

What risks are there with weight-loss surgery with Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®?

Even minimally invasive procedures are operations with risks. These include: infection from stomach fluids leaking into the body cavity, wound infections at the puncture sites, weakening of the abdominal wall or abdominal wall hernias, gallbladder disease or gallstones due to rapid weight loss, blood clots with possible pulmonary embolism, and vitamin deficiency, which supplements, regular aftercare and blood checks can help prevent. As with any operation, life-threatening emergencies can occur, for example through the anaesthetic or an undetected complication after the operation.

Why Weight Doctors®

Good reasons for Weight Doctors®.

Specialised in one thing: lasting weight loss – from medication to surgery, with specialists at your location and our own Nationalklinik.

  • 23Locations in 6 countries
  • 39specialists
  • 5×ProvenExpert Top Recommendation in a row
  • 5treatments from gentle to surgical
ProvenExpert Top Recommendation 2022ProvenExpert Top Recommendation 2023ProvenExpert Top Recommendation 2024ProvenExpert Top Recommendation 2025ProvenExpert Top Recommendation 2026

All 13 reasons

As seen on TV & in the media

  • BILD
  • DIE WELT
  • ARD
  • Galileo
  • ProSieben
  • WAZ
  • SWR
  • Frankfurter Allgemeine
  • Brigitte
  • Apotheken Umschau
  • Handelsblatt
  • Hamburger Abendblatt
  • Main-Echo
  • Berliner Morgenpost
  • Gala
  • Bild der Frau
  • FOCUS
  • sonnenklar.TV
  • Süddeutsche Zeitung
  • Bild der Frau Schlank & fit
  • Fränkische Nachrichten
  • Klassik Radio
  • Mannheimer Morgen
  • Radio Gong 96.3
  • Stuttgarter Zeitung
Other treatments

All paths.
From gentle to surgical.

Every method has its place. Here you can see at a glance how major the procedure is, how long it takes and what starting price you can expect.

Wide range of services
no procedure
Surgery
No procedure

Weight Doctors® GLP-⁠1 pharmacotherapy

Medication-based, no procedure

Medically supervised pharmacotherapy with regular progress monitoring – with no procedure at all.

Duration3–12 months
Pricefrom €599
No procedure

Weight Doctors® 360°

Nutrition coaching

Nutrition coaching and support in everyday life – in person, by video and in the app.

Durationper session
Pricefrom £49
No surgery

Weight Doctors® GASTRIC BALLOON

Temporary, also swallowable

A temporary companion for 6 or 12 months – also swallowable, with no endoscopy at all.

Duration6 or 12 months
Pricefrom £4,250
No surgery

Weight Doctors SLEEVE®

Endoscopic, permanent

Permanent stomach reduction without conventional surgery – endoscopic, outpatient, without scars.

Duration30–60 min
Pricefrom £10,500
You are hereWith surgery

Weight Doctors BARIATRICS®

Surgical, minimally invasive

Gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery for higher BMIs, incl. preliminary examination and aftercare.

Duration1–3 nights
Pricefrom £16,900

All treatments

Consultation

On to your Weight Doctors® Experience.

The first step is a conversation: choose your treatment, location and appointment online here – consultation on site, by video or by phone.

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