Sleeve Gastrectomy Vs Lap Band

When deciding on a weight loss surgery, many people weigh the pros and cons of gastric sleeve vs lap band. Lap band vs gastric sleeve is a common debate. This article provides an overview of the upsides and downsides of lap band surgery and sleeve gastrectomy.

Obesity and Heart Diseases

  • The American Heart Association (AHA) estimates that nearly one-third of the adults in the States are obese.Lap Band vs Gastric Sleeve
  • Since obesity and heart disease are directly related, it’s no surprise that the AHA also estimates that in 2008, the direct and indirect costs of heart diseases were a whopping $190.3 billion.
  • More and more Americans have decided to be proactive about their weight and overall health.
  • For many, this comes in the form of weight loss surgery such as gastric sleeve and lap band surgery.

Lap Band vs Gastric Sleeve – Reversibility, Time Involved, and Hospital Stay

Here is a comparative analysis of lap band surgery vs. sleeve gastrectomy:

  • Gastric sleeve surgery involves removal of 60-80% of the stomach. On the contrary, no part of the stomach is removed in lap band surgery. The surgeon actually places a ring along the top portion of the stomach.
  • Lap band surgery is reversible whereas gastric sleeve surgery is not.
  • The time taken to complete gastric sleeve is longer than the time involved in conducting lap band surgery.
  • Lap band surgery patients are typically discharged the next day, whereas gastric sleeve surgery patients on an average need to stay for two-three days in the hospital.

Gastric Sleeve vs Lap Band – Comparison of Post Operative Recovery

Though both are the subsets of weight loss surgery, the recovery involved in lap band versus gastric sleeve can be quite different.

  • Lap band patients can normally return to regular activities fairly sooner than gastric sleeve patients.
  • Unlike lap band surgery patients, gastric sleeve patients normally experience swelling and discomfort for weeks. This results in slower recovery.

Gastric Sleeve Surgery vs Lap Band Surgery – After the Surgery

Different problems may arise, post lap band surgery vis-à-vis gastric sleeve surgery. Some things to consider are as follows:

  • Lap band surgery patients can consume more liquids after the surgery than gastric sleeve surgery patients.
  • People have a higher risk of developing gallstones and blood clots after gastric sleeve surgery than after lap band surgery.
  • Minor revision surgery can fix most of the post operative problems associated with lap band surgery; gastric sleeve surgery, on the other hand, normally requires major revision surgery in the event of problems.
  • Weight loss is typically higher when a patient opts for gastric sleeve surgery in comparison to lap band surgery.
  • According to a study by Cummings DE, Coupaye M, Frayo RS et al, the results of which were published in the report titled  “Programs and Abstracts of the 85th Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society”, Philadelphia, in 2003, levels of ghrelin, the hunger inducing hormone, are a little over 50% higher 8 months after undergoing lap banding surgery than they are prior to the procedure.Gastric Sleeve vs Lap Band
  • On the contrary, as per a study titled “Sleeve gastrectomy and gastric banding: effects on plasma ghrelin levels” by Langer FB, Reza Hoda MA et al, published in the August 2005 edition of the Obesity Surgery Journal, sleeve gastrectomy results in excising the stomach fundus, the principal area in which ghrelin is produced. As a result, the production of ghrelin significantly diminishes after gastric sleeve surgery.
  •  After a few weeks, it is okay to eat three regular sized (but healthy) meals a day after lap band surgery. Gastric sleeve surgery, on the other hand, entails post-op patients to eat five to six small meals in a day.

Weighing the pros and cons of gastric sleeve surgery versus lap band surgery is very important in helping you zero down on which procedure is right for you. However, it is important that you consult a reputable bariatric surgeon before you take the plunge.

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