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Thinking about weight-loss surgery? Not sure which procedure is best for you? Wondering what life is like after surgery? Search the learning center or ask our bariatric pros to get the answers you need.
For people who need to lose a significant amount of weight, diet and exercise alone may not be effective. Bariatric surgery has been shown to promote long-term weight loss while helping improve conditions associated with excess weight, such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and metabolic syndrome.
Continue reading to learn more about the various types of bariatric surgery available.
Gastric bypass surgery, LAP-BAND surgery, and gastric sleeve surgery: which weight-loss procedure is right for you? Now that you’ve taken your first step toward becoming healthier, your next big challenge is figuring out the pros and cons of each type of weight-loss surgery. Fortunately, each type of bariatric surgery has been proven effective at helping individuals lose weight and keep it off long-term, so regardless of the surgery you choose, it’s a win-win situation all the way around.
Adjustable gastric banding, also known as gastric band surgery, is a restrictive form of weight-loss surgery in which an inflatable silicone band is fastened around the upper portion of your stomach. The purpose of gastric banding is to limit your stomach’s capacity so you feel full with less food, and lose weight as a result. Gastric banding patients can lose an average of 55% of their excess weight 5 years following surgery.
Sleeve gastrectomy, also known as gastric sleeve, is a type of weight-loss surgery in which your bariatric surgeon removes approximately 85 percent of your stomach. The remaining 15 percent of the stomach resembles a sleeve, and is about the size of a medium banana. The stomach pouch holds between 50 and 120 ml of food, which keeps you from eating overly large portion sizes. Patients can lose an average of 46% to 83% of their excess weight one year following gastric sleeve surgery.
Gastric bypass surgery, also referred to as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, is a type of weight-loss surgery in which the stomach is stapled to create a smaller stomach pouch, and part of the small intestine is rerouted to bypass the duodenum -- which is where chemical digestion takes place — to result in the absorption of fewer calories. Gastric bypass patients typically experience rapid weight loss and can lose an average of 67% of their excess weight one year after surgery.
Three of the most frequently performed bariatric weight-loss surgeries are laparoscopic adjustable banding, also known as LAP-BAND®, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, also referred to as gastric sleeve, and Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB). This table compares the three procedures, touching on topics such as average short- and long-term weight loss.
