Aviv Ben-Meir, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Medical Director, Center for Bariatric Surgery
General Surgeon, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center
- Q: 1
- Is gastric banding more effective than gastric bypass?
- A: 1
- The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the most commonly performed weight loss procedure in the United States. Patients typically lose 65-80% of their excess weight over 12-18 months. It is a tool that helps patients feel full with less food at meal time. A laparoscopic adjustable gastric band mimics the tool created with a gastric bypass by also helping patients feel full with a small amount of food. Instead of creating a small pouch by partitioning the stomach into a small pouch and a larger bypassed stomach, the band is placed around the upper portion of the stomach, and the stomach above the band becomes the pouch. Patients need to work harder and be more motivated to lose weight with a band than with a bypass. Patients typically lose 40-50% of their excess weight over 24-36 months with an adjustable gastric band.
- Q: 2
- How invasive is weight loss surgery?
- A: 2
- The majority of weight loss surgery operations are performed laparoscopically. With laparoscopic surgery, procedures are done using key hole incisions between 1/4 and 1/2 inch in size. The procedure is identical to open surgery, but the abdomen is inflated with gas to create a tent, the instruments are longer and are inserted through the key hole incisions. Laparoscopic surgery is gentler on the body, and its advantages include reduced risk of postoperative complications and discomfort, as well as a quicker return to work when done by an experienced surgeon.
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