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The surgical treatment of obesity is called bariatric surgery after the Greek words, baros, meaning "weight," and iatrikos, meaning "medical." This is the most rapidly growing area of surgical practice in the Western world today. This reflects the ability of bariatric surgical procedures to provide a solution to an otherwise unsolvable problem and the evolution of safer, less invasive and more conservative forms of procedures.
The surgical treatment of obesity has evolved over a period of more than 50 years. Today, the two most widely performed weight loss surgeries are the gastric bypass and the Lap Band System procedure (also known as laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding).
Early studies from Europe showed weight loss results that were less significant with the LAP-BAND System procedure than the gastric bypass. However, more up-to-date studies (O'Brien et. al.) have published results which show weight loss after the LAP-BAND is comparably equal to the gastric bypass after a two year period.
If you are interested in the gastric bypass or the LAP-BAND (gastric banding) to get control of your weight and health problems, you should consider the benefits of weight loss surgery versus the potential risks. Usually, the majority of risks occur during the surgery itself and safety should play a large role in what weight loss surgery you decide to have.
The benefits come in the shape of improved health, reduced long-term risk of disease, and improvement in your quality of life. The act of losing weight has been proven effective at decreasing high blood pressure and is a known cure of diabetes type-II, sleep apnea, asthma, and infertility.
Weight loss surgery allows you to take control over your hunger and end the social and intrapersonal implications caused by obesity. Not only will you feel more comfortable in places where space is limited, but you will be able to play with your kids and improve relationships with the people who care about you the most.
Having bariatric weight loss surgery is a very personal decision as well as a medical one. Your healthcare professional can provide advice to you about obesity-related procedures and can help decide which weight loss surgery is right for you.
The following information concerns the two most popular choices for weight loss surgery, gastric bypass and the LAP-BAND System procedure, also known as gastric banding. Gastric bypass and gastric banding are both life-changing procedures and you should consider factors such as safety, permanence and recovery time before making this very personal decision.
Gastric bypass was introduced more than 35 years ago and is still widely used today. About half of gastric bypass operations are performed through open-surgery involving a long incision to the abdomen while the other half are performed laparoscopically.
Gastric bypass involves a stapling device which cuts and separates a small piece of the stomach from the rest of the stomach. The top portion becomes the new stomach and the rest is closed off permanently. The upper part of the small intestine is then divided completely with the stapling device.
One of the divided ends of the intestine is routed to the newly created smaller stomach allowing food to enter. The other end is joined to the small intestine further downstream so that the digestive juices from the liver, gallbladder, duodenum and pancreas are able to be included in the digestion process.
Gastric bypass is a major surgical procedure with a risk of major complications and mortality (approx. 1%). It causes major changes in the digestive tract and is fundamentally irreversible. Click here for the risks involved with gastric bypass and see how they compare to those faced in LAP-BAND surgery.
Lap-Band surgery consists of a silicone ring, which is placed around the very top of the stomach. The ring has an inner balloon, which is connected by the tubing to join to the access port. The access port is placed deep under the skin on the left-hand side of the abdomen. A shot fluid tightens or loosens the band to adjust to personal weight loss concerns and is connected to the amount of satiety (feeling of fullness) felt throughout the day.
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Ultimately, the decision to have Lap-Band surgery is personal and should involve researching the benefits and potential risks involved. Further information can be obtained by calling 1-800-324-2694 and speaking to a LAP-BAND specialist or attending a local seminar to learn more about the weight loss procedure that's helped thousands improve their health and quality of life through safe, long-term weight loss. |
Major benefits of LAP-BAND surgery include:
- Satiety
LAP-BAND surgery works by providing satiety. This feeling typically lasts between meals and works to develop positive eating behaviors. Even without fluid, LAP-BAND surgery provides a sense of satiety by surrounding nerves that would otherwise send messages of hunger to the brain and central nervous system.
- Adjustable
The amount of fluid in the LAP-BAND allows patients to regulate the amount of food entering the stomach, and provides the ability to customize the effect of the LAP-BAND.
- Minimally Invasive
Without cutting and rerouting the stomach and intestines, LAP-BAND weight loss surgery is ten times safer than the gastric bypass and does not require an overnight hospital stay. Recovery from the weight loss surgery is typically quick and patients are able to return home in only a matter of hours.
- Reversible
Unlike the gastric bypass, the LAP-BAND can be removed at anytime (though it is not recommended that you do so). The LAP-BAND acts as a tool to help those who need it gain control of their hunger and improve their chances of successful weight loss. Use our BMI Calculator (top left of this page) to see what category you fall under to determine whether or not you are at risk of developing health conditions associated with obesity.
Read more about the history and anatomy of the LAP-BAND here or continue to learn more about the difference between gastric banding and gastric bypass.
 
Continue to Lap Band Surgery »
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