The laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) is the least invasive, permanent weight loss surgery treatment. It is usually performed as a day-case procedure. Most patients will be back to normal activities, including work, within a week. The gastric band is placed just below the oesophagus, at the top of the stomach, with a very small pouch of stomach above the band. The Lap-Band can be adjusted, by injecting saline, through an access port, buried beneath the skin of the abdominal wall. The gastric band makes patients slow down when they eat thus reducing portion size.
The gastric sleeve is a restrictive procedure, which reduces the volume of the stomach. Keyhole surgery is used to remove 85% of the stomach, changing it from an expandable reservoir into a narrow tube.
Also, by removing the part of the stomach that contains cells that release the appetite controlling hormone ghrelin, the surgery makes patients less hungry. The capacity of the sleeve is much less than a normal stomach, so portion sizes are much smaller.
With keyhole surgery, a small rectangular pouch is formed from the upper stomach. The remainder of the stomach is not removed; it remains healthy, with a good blood-supply, producing gastric juices, enzymes needed to start digesting carbohydrates and a special protein needed to absorb vitamin B12. The small intestine is re-configured into a Y shape, using staplers to divide and join the intestine and free end of the Y, is joined to the small pouch.
Gastric bypass was first performed as an open operation in 1967; it has stood the test of time
As a general guide, a gastric balloon aides weight loss by filling the stomach. This means you feel fuller for longer, after smaller portion sizes. The benefits of a gastric balloon are:
