gastric
banding

How does it work?

An inflatable band is placed around the upper part of your stomach and stitched into position. This limits the portion sizes you eat, decreases the calories you take in whilst giving you a feeling of fullness that lasts between meals. The band is inflatable & deflatable via a plastic port that sits under your skin. This allows the band to be adjustable which is a fundamental characteristic, as this enables patients to continue to lose weight. Band adjustment, is required 4 to 6 weekly in the 1st year to maintain a steady rate of weight loss. The operation is reversible which means that if the band is removed then the GI tract anatomy returns to normal.

Average expected weight loss

40 to 50% of excess weight loss

Follow up necessary

4-6 weekly band adjustments for first 12-18 months

Nights in Hospital

1

Long term requirement for re-operative surgery

About 20% over 10 years

Serious complications following surgery

Rare <1%

Death following surgery

0.1%

gastric
sleeve

The size of the stomach is reduced to a narrow tube, a 'sleeve'. This limits the portion sizes you can eat. It also gives you a feeling of fullness after eating a small amount of food.

60 to 70% of excess weight loss

One check up 4 weeks after operation then as required

2 or 3

Unknown but probably <5%

2 to 5%

0.5%

gastric
bypass

The stomach is reduced in size to a small pouch and then reconnected to the small intestine further down the GI tract. This essentially bypasses the distal stomach, duodenum and first part of the small intestine. The small gastric pouch means that you are restricted to eating smaller portions and the re-routing of the GI tract means that the foods you eat are not absorbed as effectively as normal. Both of these aspects contribute to weight loss.

60 to 70% of excess weight loss

3-6 monthly blood tests checking for malabsorption of essential vitamins and minerals

4 to 6

About 5-10% over 10 years

5 to 7%

1%

Weight Loss Clinic

gastric banding