LOS ANGELES — In recent years, interest in bariatric weight loss surgery has become greater than ever. Yet, all too often, sufferers of obesity undergo treatment before learning all of their options, and end up in need of gastric sleeve or lap band revision surgery. Fortunately, surgeons like Dr. Michael Feiz can go a long way towards ensuring Lap Band to sleeve gastrectomy is effective the first time around. In fact, his team at Dr. Feiz and Associates is highly skilled at eliminating the need for sleeve gastrectomy after Lap Band (or vice versa) by ensuring each patient is provided with the right treatment for their needs.
Both Lap Band and sleeve gastrectomy procedures are designed to provide sustained, comfortable weight loss by limiting the amount of food a person can eat in one sitting as well as reducing appetite. However, the treatments are also very different in a number of notable ways. If you’re wondering which bariatric treatment is right for you, here are 3 key differences between the procedures that might help you and your weight loss specialist find your ideal weight loss solution:
Effectiveness
Understandably, this is one of the areas that prospective bariatric patients are most interested before in making the decision to undergo treatment. Weight loss experts like Dr. Feiz have found that the procedures can achieve comparably effective long-term weight loss results for patients when provided by a highly skilled surgeon and, importantly, when the procedure is compatible with the individual.
Lack of Invasiveness
Though both surgeries are as minimally invasive as possible when performed by Dr. Feiz, Lap Band is undoubtedly less invasive treatment than sleeve gastrectomy since it doesn’t involve any stomach stapling or intestinal rerouting. However, unlike Lap Band, sleeve gastrectomy doesn’t involve the implantation of a foreign device, which can make it a better option for some patients.
Moreover, the somewhat more invasive nature of the sleeve procedure actually offers some benefits. In particular, it removes the portion of the stomach responsible for the manufacture of the powerful hunger hormone, ghrelin. The reduction in the hormone appears to help many patients in their later weight loss efforts.
Recovery Time
For Lap Band, most patients enjoy a brief hospital stay of no more than 24 hours, and can even return to normal activity within a week’s time, and a full surgical recovery in about two weeks. For a sleeve gastrectomy, recovery is usually a bit longer, with a hospital stay of about 48 hours and a full surgical recovery for most patients in about three weeks.
After achieving a better understanding of the differences and similarities between Lap Band and sleeve gastrectomy, it should be clearer than ever why the expertise of the dedicated weight loss team at Dr. Feiz and Associates is so essential. Led by a renowned member of both the American Society for Bariatric Surgeons and American College of Surgeons, they are dedicated and fully qualified to provide useful advice regarding the best treatment option for every individual considering treatment.
I enjoyed your article. As someone who works at a Lap Band facility I have seen the success of LAP-Band. Many of the negative campaigns in Los Angeles were due to doctors who misrepresented the procedure. I can say that the success of lap band for many people have been life changing.