Gastric band removal & conversion · IFSO surgeon · JCI + TEMOS hospital · İzmir
Gastric band revision to sleeve in Turkey: removal and conversion in one operation
Your band has slipped, gives you reflux or simply stopped working? In most patients Op. Dr. Volkan Arayıcı removes the band and its port and completes the gastric band to sleeve conversion in the same operation, or converts to a mini gastric bypass when reflux makes that the better choice. Only when a band has eroded into the stomach wall are the two steps done separately. This page explains every route of a gastric band revision to sleeve in Turkey, with prices and what your stay in İzmir looks like.
Send your height, weight, the year your band was fitted and what is bothering you. Op. Dr. Volkan Arayıcı replies personally, usually the same day. Flights are not included.
The short answer
Gastric band revision to sleeve: what happens and what it costs
A gastric band revision to sleeve means two things in one operation: the old band and the port under your skin come out, and your stomach is shaped into a sleeve. Op. Dr. Volkan Arayıcı does both through the same small laparoscopic incisions, usually in about two hours. When reflux is the main problem, a mini gastric bypass replaces the sleeve, which takes about two and a half hours. And if you simply want the band gone, removal on its own is possible too.
Can you have a gastric sleeve after gastric band surgery? Yes. It is one of the most common revision routes, and a lap band to gastric sleeve conversion is the same operation under the brand name many UK patients know. We split it into two operations only when the band has eroded into the stomach wall: then the band comes out first, the stomach heals, and the sleeve follows later.
| Option | What happens | Hospital stay | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band removal only | Band, tube and port removed laparoscopically | 2 nights, then home | from £2,000 |
| Band to sleeve conversion | Band and port out, sleeve gastrectomy in the same operation (about 2 hours) | 4 nights, flight home on day 5 | from £3,500 |
| Band to mini gastric bypass | Band and port out, mini gastric bypass in the same operation (about 2.5 hours) | 4 nights, flight home on day 5 | from £3,800 |
Gastric band to sleeve conversion Turkey: prices 2026. Flights are not included in any package.
Included in all three packages: surgery and anaesthesia, all tests including endoscopy, your hospital nights with room for a companion, airport transfers and twelve months of follow-up by video call and WhatsApp. There is no deposit and no extra charge if a complication needs treatment; you pay on the day of surgery.
Why you are here
Why gastric bands stop working, and why a gastric band revision to sleeve is so often the answer
An adjustable band only restricts from the outside. It does not change the stomach itself, and over the years that is exactly where the problems start. These are the reasons UK patients write to us about most often:
- 1
The band has slipped
The stomach pushes through above the band and a pouch forms. Typical signs are vomiting, food sticking and pain after meals. A slipped band rarely works again after being refilled.
- 2
The band has eroded into the stomach
In some patients the band slowly works its way into the stomach wall. This is the one situation in which we remove the band first and carry out the conversion in a second operation.
- 3
Problems with the port or tube
The port under the skin can flip, leak or become infected, and the tube can crack. Every refill then stops holding.
- 4
Reflux and difficulty swallowing
Heartburn at night, acid in the throat and food that does not go down are common with a tight or slipped band, and they often point towards a mini gastric bypass rather than a sleeve.
- 5
The weight has come back
Many bands were simply loosened or emptied over time, and the weight returned. A gastric band revision to sleeve restores a restriction that does not depend on refills.
How long does a gastric band last? There is no fixed expiry date, but long-term studies show that a large share of bands, in some series around half, have been removed or revised ten years or more after they were fitted. If your band still works without complaints, there is no reason to remove it.
Which route fits you
Gastric band to sleeve conversion, mini bypass or removal only?
The right gastric band revision to sleeve route depends on why the band failed and on what the endoscopy shows. As a rule of thumb:
- 1
Weight regain, no significant reflux: gastric band revision to sleeve
The standard gastric band to sleeve conversion. The band and port come out, and a sleeve gives you a lasting restriction without refills. It is the same sleeve gastrectomy we perform as a first operation, described in detail under gastric sleeve in Turkey.
- 2
Reflux, acid blockers or swallowing problems: band to mini bypass
A sleeve can make existing reflux worse. A mini gastric bypass relieves it and gives you both restriction and a metabolic effect. After it, daily supplements and regular blood tests are part of life, though deficiencies are less common than after a classic Roux-en-Y bypass.
- 3
The band is the problem, not your weight: removal only
If you are happy with your weight and only want the band gone, removal on its own is an option. Be aware that without a new restriction most of the weight tends to return, which is why most patients choose a gastric band revision to sleeve instead.
- 4
The band has eroded into the stomach: two operations
The band comes out first and the stomach wall heals. The gastric band revision to sleeve follows in a second operation once the endoscopy shows that it is safe.
The decision is made together: we assess your symptoms and history on WhatsApp beforehand, and the endoscopy on the day you arrive confirms or changes the plan before anything is fixed.
In theatre
One operation instead of two: how a gastric band revision to sleeve is done
Most clinics that remove bands ask you to come back months later for the sleeve. We do the gastric band revision to sleeve in a single operation whenever the stomach allows it, and in our experience it does in the large majority of patients. That means one anaesthetic, one recovery and one trip to Turkey.
- 1
Endoscopy before surgery
On the day you arrive we look at the stomach and oesophagus from the inside. It shows whether the band has damaged the stomach wall and confirms the route.
- 2
Band, tube and port out
Through small laparoscopic incisions the scar capsule around the band is opened, the band is cut and removed, the adhesions are released and the port under the skin is taken out.
- 3
Sleeve or mini bypass in the same session
The stomach is shaped into a sleeve, or a mini gastric bypass is created. The staple line is oversewn and checked for leaks during the operation. We do not place a routine drain.
The report from your original band operation is not required; if you have it, bring it along. What matters most for a gastric sleeve after gastric band surgery is the surgeon's experience with scarred tissue, and revision work of this kind is part of Op. Dr. Volkan Arayıcı's regular caseload.
Your stay in İzmir
Gastric band revision to sleeve in Turkey step by step: five days, four nights in hospital
- 1
Day 1: arrival and tests
VIP transfer from İzmir airport straight to the hospital. Blood tests, ultrasound, cardiology and anaesthetic assessment, and the endoscopy. You spend the first night on the ward.
- 2
Day 2: surgery
About two hours for a gastric band revision to sleeve, about two and a half for a conversion to a mini gastric bypass. You are up and walking within hours.
- 3
Days 3 and 4: hospital, not hotel
Liquids, walking, daily rounds by the surgeon. Doctors and nurses are there around the clock, which matters most in exactly these first days after a gastric band revision to sleeve.
- 4
Day 5: discharge and flight home
You leave with your written plan and a report you can share with your GP, and you are driven directly to the airport. Follow-up continues for twelve months by video call and WhatsApp.
Before you travel: there is no liver-shrinking diet. If you take Mounjaro, Wegovy or Ozempic, you do not have to stop weeks in advance; ideally your last dose is about one week before surgery. For band removal only, you stay two nights in hospital and then travel home.
What it costs
Gastric band revision to sleeve cost: UK private, NHS and Turkey
A gastric band revision to sleeve is priced higher than a first operation everywhere, because it takes longer and needs more experience. Here is how the options compare for UK patients.
| UK private | NHS | İzmir, Turkey | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band to sleeve | roughly £9,000–£15,000 in published UK price comparisons | funded in some areas, usually a long wait | from £3,500 |
| Band to mini bypass | similar range or higher | funded in some areas, usually a long wait | from £3,800 |
| Band removal only | quoted individually | generally done when the band causes complications | from £2,000 |
UK figures are indicative and change; always ask what a quote includes.
With us the price of a gastric band revision to sleeve includes surgery, anaesthesia, all tests and the endoscopy, your hospital nights in a room where a companion can stay with you, meals for your companion, airport transfers and twelve months of follow-up. What it does not include is your flight. You pay on the day of surgery, with no deposit and no instalment plans, and there is no extra charge if a complication needs treatment.
Honest about risk
Is a gastric band revision to sleeve safe?
A gastric band revision to sleeve carries a somewhat higher risk than a first sleeve, because the scar tissue the band leaves behind makes the stomach wall harder to work with. The complications that matter most are a leak at the staple line and bleeding, and both tend to show in the first days.
That is why the safeguards of every gastric band revision to sleeve are not optional extras: an endoscopy before surgery, an oversewn staple line, a leak test during the operation, and four nights on the ward instead of a hotel room, so that anything unusual is seen and treated at once. No surgeon can promise zero risk. How we approach safety for all our operations is explained on how safe gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey is.
After the conversion
Life after a gastric sleeve after gastric band: diet, supplements and follow-up
- 1
First two weeks: liquids
Clear and full liquids in small sips, enough protein and water through the day.
- 2
Weeks three and four: soft purée
Smooth, protein-rich food in small portions, eaten slowly.
- 3
From the first month: solid food
Normal textures return step by step. Portions stay small, and drinking is kept apart from meals.
Vitamins and minerals are part of the plan after every gastric band revision to sleeve, and after a mini gastric bypass they are lifelong. For twelve months you have direct access to the team by video call and WhatsApp.
And if the weight starts to creep up again one day? The first step is usually medication, not another operation. A sleeve that has genuinely stretched can be treated with a Gastric ReSleeve in Turkey, and what really helps with weight regain after gastric sleeve is explained separately.
A patient's story
Jacqueline: band removal and mini gastric bypass in one stay
1:50
Patient video · 1 minute 50
From a failed band to a mini gastric bypass
Jacqueline talks about her experience of having her gastric band removed and converted to a mini gastric bypass with Op. Dr. Volkan Arayıcı in Turkey.
Published on our YouTube channel with the patient's consent.
Privacy notice: the video loads only when you click the preview image. Clicking transfers data to YouTube and YouTube's privacy policy applies. No connection to YouTube is made before that.
Alternatives
Medication or an endoscopic procedure instead of a gastric band revision to sleeve?
GLP-1 medication such as Mounjaro or Wegovy can help with weight, but it does not fix a band that has slipped, eroded or causes reflux; that band has to come out either way. Many patients use medication as support after the operation rather than instead of it, as explained under bariatric surgery after GLP-1 (Ozempic).
An EndoSleeve (POSE) is not an alternative for someone who still has a band, and we do not offer it: in our experience and in the published data the result does not hold over time. Patients whose endoscopic procedure has failed often end up needing the same sleeve or bypass, as described in why an EndoSleeve fails.
What we do not offer
Gastric band surgery in Turkey? We no longer fit gastric bands, and here is why
If you have searched for a gastric band in Turkey and landed here: we do not place new bands. The gastric band is an old method. It was widely used before the sleeve gastrectomy became established, and once the sleeve proved itself, the band turned out to be unnecessary and was abandoned. Today it makes up only a very small share of weight-loss operations worldwide.
The reasons are the ones this page is about: slippage, erosion, port problems, reflux and weight that comes back once the band is loosened. A large part of our band work today is removing bands fitted elsewhere and carrying out the gastric band revision to sleeve or the conversion to a mini gastric bypass. If you are considering weight-loss surgery for the first time, a sleeve or a mini gastric bypass gives you what the band promised, without the refills.
Who operates
Op. Dr. Volkan Arayıcı: revision surgery as part of everyday work
Op. Dr. Volkan Arayıcı has worked exclusively in bariatric and metabolic surgery since 2014, is a member of IFSO and has performed more than 5,000 operations at a JCI- and TEMOS-accredited hospital in İzmir. Band removals, the gastric band revision to sleeve and conversions to mini gastric bypass are a regular part of his work, most of them for patients whose first operation was done elsewhere. He operates on every patient himself and answers WhatsApp enquiries personally.
All revision options, including re-sleeve and sleeve to bypass, are summarised under gastric revision surgery in Turkey, and his background is on the page Op. Dr. Volkan Arayıcı, bariatric surgeon in Izmir.
Frequently asked questions
Gastric band revision to sleeve: your questions answered
Can you have a gastric sleeve after gastric band surgery?
Yes. A gastric sleeve after gastric band surgery is one of the most common revision routes. In most patients the band and port are removed and the sleeve is made in the same operation. Only a band that has eroded into the stomach wall makes us split it into two operations.
How much does a gastric band to sleeve conversion cost in Turkey?
A gastric band to sleeve conversion in Turkey costs from £3,500 with us, all-inclusive: surgery, anaesthesia, all tests including endoscopy, four nights in hospital, transfers, a companion in your room and twelve months of follow-up. Flights are not included. Conversion to a mini gastric bypass costs from £3,800.
How much does it cost to get a gastric band removed?
Band removal on its own costs from £2,000 with us, with the same inclusions as the conversion packages and two nights in hospital before you go home. Keep in mind that without a new operation most of the weight the band held back tends to return.
Will the NHS remove my gastric band?
The NHS generally removes a band that causes complications such as slippage, erosion or port problems. A conversion to a sleeve or bypass purely for weight is funded only in some areas and usually involves a long wait, which is why many UK patients choose a gastric band revision to sleeve privately.
Do I need to travel to Turkey twice?
Usually not. The band, the tube and the port come out and the sleeve or mini gastric bypass is made in the same operation, during one stay of five days. A second trip is needed only if the band has eroded into the stomach and the conversion has to wait until the stomach wall has healed.
How long does the operation take?
A gastric band revision to sleeve usually takes about two hours, and a conversion to a mini gastric bypass about two and a half hours. Removing scar tissue around an old band takes longer than a first operation, and that time is part of doing it safely.
What is the recovery like after a lap band to gastric sleeve conversion?
After a gastric band revision to sleeve you walk within hours, as with any lap band to gastric sleeve conversion, stay four nights in hospital and fly home on day five. The first two weeks are liquids, the next two weeks soft purée, and solid food starts from the first month. How soon you return to work depends on your job; we plan it with you before discharge.
Is it safe to remove a lap band after 10 years or more?
Yes. The age of the band is not a reason against removal, but the capsule of scar tissue around an old band is usually thicker, so the operation needs a surgeon experienced in gastric band revision to sleeve surgery. An endoscopy before surgery shows whether the band has damaged the stomach wall.
Which is better after a band: sleeve or mini gastric bypass?
Without significant reflux, a sleeve is usually the simpler choice. With heartburn, acid blockers or swallowing problems, a mini gastric bypass is often the better revision because a sleeve can make reflux worse. The final decision follows the endoscopy.
Can I try Ozempic or Mounjaro instead of surgery?
You can, and some patients do. But a band that has slipped, eroded or causes reflux has to come out regardless of how the medication works. Many patients use GLP-1 medication as support after a gastric band revision to sleeve rather than instead of it.
Do I need the operative report from my band surgery?
It is not required. If you have it, bring it or send it on WhatsApp, because it helps us plan your gastric band revision to sleeve. The endoscopy before surgery gives us the information we need either way.
Do you still fit new gastric bands?
No. The gastric band is an old method: once the sleeve gastrectomy became established it turned out to be unnecessary, and we stopped placing bands. We now remove bands and carry out the gastric band to sleeve conversion Turkey patients from the UK ask us about, or a conversion to a mini gastric bypass.
Is your band causing problems? Ask before you decide.
Send your height, weight, the year your band was fitted and your symptoms, and if you have it, the report of your band operation. You will get an honest first assessment of your gastric band revision to sleeve: removal only, sleeve or mini gastric bypass.
WhatsApp: +90 532 466 67 67This page is for information and does not replace a consultation. Results are individual and no outcome is guaranteed. Patient photos and the video are published with the patients' consent.
Op. Dr. Volkan Arayıcı
Specialist in Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery · Izmir, Turkey
This article was written and medically reviewed by Op. Dr. Volkan Arayıcı. Dr. Arayıcı has been exclusively specialising in bariatric surgery since 2014 and has performed over 5,000 procedures at a JCI- and TEMOS-accredited hospital in Izmir.
✍ Published: October 14, 2023 · 🔄 Updated: September 11, 2026 · About the author →
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