FIGURE 2

Commonly used weight loss surgery procedures (1). The left panel shows a RYGB, in which a small proximal gastric pouch is connected to a Y-shaped loop of the small bowel. The proximal stomach pouch is separated from the large, distal stomach with several rows of staples. The right panel shows a gastric banding procedure. The band, which can be adjusted by the infusion of saline, is placed around the stomach near its upper end, creating a small pouch and a restricted passage to the larger remaining part of the stomach. In both procedures, the gastric pouch is generally <30 mL.