Bariatric surgery, as offered at Tijuana Bariatrics, is an effective weight loss solution for individuals who are classified as medically obese or morbidly obese. Bariatric procedures alter the stomach or digestive tract to reduce appetite, limit calorie absorption, and encourage significant weight loss. When considering bariatric surgery, there are multiple techniques to choose from.
Here, we provide information about two popular bariatric techniques: gastric sleeve and gastric LAP-BAND®. We discuss the key similarities and differences regarding gastric sleeve vs. gastric LAP-BAND so that individuals gain a better understanding of which of the procedures offered at our Tijuana, Mexico, practice is best-suited to their unique needs and desires.
What Do Gastric Sleeve and Gastric LAP-BAND Have In Common?
Gastric sleeve and gastric LAP-BAND are two unique bariatric techniques that have many differences. However, the procedures share a common goal, and they obtain that goal in a similar manner. Both techniques are meant to encourage rapid and effective weight loss so that individuals improve their overall health, confidence, and well-being. And both procedures achieve that goal by reducing the size of the stomach so that it can hold less food.
Key Differences Between Gastric Sleeve and LAP-BAND
While both gastric sleeve and gastric LAP-BAND reduce the size of the stomach to assist with weight loss, they do so in two very different ways. During a gastric sleeve procedure, the stomach is reshaped and resized. Incisions are made to divide the stomach into two sections. The larger section is completely removed, so that patients are left with a thin, tube-shaped stomach. About 80 percent of the stomach is removed during a gastric sleeve procedure.
During a gastric LAP-BAND procedure, the entire stomach is left intact. Rather than surgically removing a portion of the stomach, this technique uses an adjustable band to significantly reduce the stomach’s capacity to hold food. The band, which is an inflatable silicone ring, squeezes around the stomach so that the pouch that holds food is just a fraction of the stomach’s natural size.
Which Is Right for Me?
Both gastric sleeve and gastric LAP-BAND can be effective weight loss techniques, but it is important that our Tijuana patients undergo the procedure that is best-suited to their unique needs and desires.
Gastric LAP-BAND surgery is minimally invasive and completely reversible, both of which make it a suitable option for a wide range of patients. LAP-BAND candidates include individuals who are overweight (typically with a BMI of 30 or more), people who have had a hard time losing weight through diet and exercise, and those with weight-related health conditions.
Gastric sleeve surgery is more invasive than gastric LAP-BAND, so the candidacy qualifications are more selective. Gastric sleeve surgery candidates have a BMI of 40 or above and suffer from one or more obesity-related health problems. Gastric sleeve candidates also must be free of any conditions that could increase the risk of surgical complications.
Contact Us
If you have excess weight that has been resistant to diet and exercise efforts, you may be an ideal candidate for bariatric surgery. To learn more about the surgical techniques offered at Tijuana Bariatrics, including gastric sleeve and gastric LAP-BAND, send us a message online to schedule a consultation.
