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Laparoscopic gastric banding or gastric bypass for morbid obesity?

Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology & Hepatology volume 4, pages 178–179 (2007)Cite this article

Gastric banding is a surgical procedure for the treatment of morbid obesity that has been performed for over a decade worldwide. Since the approval of the Lap-Band® System (Allergan Inc., Irvine, CA) by the US FDA in 2001, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) has become the second most frequently performed bariatric operation in the US, behind gastric bypass. Morbidly obese patients scheduled to undergo weight-loss surgery, and the surgeons who perform these procedures, must choose between LAGB, gastric bypass, and other less frequently performed weight-loss operations, such as sleeve gastrectomy (with or without biliopancreatic diversion), and duodenal switch.

The benefits of the LAGB procedure include its adjustability, high rate of laparoscopic completion, and superior overall safety profile compared with gastric bypass.1 Although both the LAGB and gastric bypass procedures can be reversed, it is much less difficult and less complicated to reverse LAGB than gastric bypass. If, however, a gastric band is removed for any reason (for example gastric band erosion, inadequate weight loss or food intolerance) patients will often regain all of their lost weight, or fail to lose an adequate amount of weight. Conversion to gastric bypass after a failed LAGB procedure can be technically difficult, and is associated with more complications than a primary gastric bypass. The low rate of vitamin and mineral (for example, calcium and iron) deficiencies after the LAGB procedure compared with after other types of surgery for weight loss, however, makes LAGB particularly appealing for women who plan to become pregnant after significant weight loss resulting from their surgery.

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  1. and B Tanner is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery, JW Allen is an Associate Professor, at the University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.,

    Jeff W Allen & Benjamin Tanner

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  1. Jeff W Allen
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  2. Benjamin Tanner
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Correspondence to Jeff W Allen.

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Allen, J., Tanner, B. Laparoscopic gastric banding or gastric bypass for morbid obesity?. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 4, 178–179 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpgasthep0770

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