Other Procedures

Which operation should I choose?

Lap-Band ®, Sleeve Gastrectomy and Gastric Bypass have all been shown to result in weight reduction and improved health outcomes in obese patients. All these procedures may also cause complications, some of which can be life-threatening or impact significantly on quality of life. All these weight loss procedures can fail in the long term and failure may be related to lack of adequate follow-up or to repeated overeating.

Lap-Band ® is associated with the lowest immediate risk at the time of surgery than that of Sleeve Gastrectomy or Gastric Bypass. Weight loss is most rapid and greatest with Gastric Bypass but this operation has the highest surgical risk for complication and death. Malabsorption concerns are greatest for the Gastric Bypass and lowest for the Lap Band. While adjustability and reversibility are potential benefits of the Lap Band, a permanent procedure without the need for adjustment may be an advantage for patients in whom close specialist follow-up is difficult to ensure especially those in remote areas of Australia.

The longest outcome measures that we have are for gastric bypass and these show that most patients continue to maintain their weight loss more than 20 years. We also have good data for the Lap Band over more than 15 years. The Sleeve Gastrectomy is the newest procedure and we have outcome studies for only around 5 years .

You should discuss your preference regarding your choice of operation with your surgeon. This will be influenced by your reading on the subject as well perhaps personal experiences of people you know who have had weight loss surgery. We are happy to answer further questions you might have about the individual operations to help you make the choice about the right operation for you.