Scientists Explore Lap Band Options - Advantages Over Gastric Bypass

Pros and Cons of the Lap Band

As the public health costs of the obesity epidemic have spiraled ever higher in the United States and other industrialized nations, scientists have been searching for treatments that could help millions of overweight men, women, and children achieve shed excess pounds in a safe, steady, and predictable manner. Everything from new diets to over-the-counter weight loss treatments have been developed in recent years, but nothing has yet been able to significantly reduce the problem on a large scale.

However, if any one procedure can be said to be universally effective as a weight loss tool, bariatric surgery would be it. Although procedures like gastric bypass surgery almost always help the patients who undergo them lose weight, safety concerns and frequent complications remain problematic.

Because of the dire health impacts of obesity, scientists around the world have focused their attention on the task of devising weight loss procedures that are both effective and safe. One of the most popular alternatives that is gaining wider acceptance in the research community is the less-invasive procedure known as ?gastric banding? or ?lap banding.?

This week, we?ll survey several recent studies, explore the pros and cons of the lap band as an alternative to gastric bypass surgery.

Lap Band More Effective Than Low-Calorie Diet

Men and women who were an average of 50 pounds overweight lost more weight after gastric banding than they did on a low-calorie diet. The results of a recent study conducted by scientists at Monash University Medical School in Melbourne, Australia bolstered growing praise for the gastric banding alternative to gastric bypass surgery.

In the study, a sample of 80 overweight men and women were split into two groups. One group was instructed to follow a very strict 500-calorie diet, while the other group underwent gastric banding.

In the first six months, the rate of weight loss between the two groups was roughly equal. But after two years, it was found that the patients in the low-calorie group had regained all of the weight they initially lost. In contrast, the gastric band patients had lost an average of 87% of their excess weight and, for the most part, kept it off. The gastric band group also reported a much higher quality of life than their counterparts in the low-calorie diet group.

Very Obese Patients Fare Better With Lap Band, Study Shows

In a study that compared gastric bypass surgery with lap banding, it was found that morbidly obese individuals typically have much better outcomes with lap banding.

Although the very obese are most in need of weight loss help, many in this group suffer complications in the aftermath of gastric bypass surgery at a disproportionate rate when compared to less-obese patients. Scientists at a commercial bariatric surgery center in Portland, Oregon recently took up the challenge of making weight loss procedures safer for the very obese with a study that compared the long-term outcomes of lap bands and gastric bypass surgery.

According to the results of the study, the lap band procedure was safer for morbidly obese patients in the long-term. Because the procedure is less invasive, there are far fewer complication risks during and after the surgery, an important consideration for morbidly obese individuals.

Although gastric bypass patients lost more weight in the first four years after surgery, the results for 5-year weight loss were statistically similar. This, paired with the drastic reduction of complications associated with the lap band procedure, makes this alternative a viable option for the very obese.

Lap Band Surgery Safe for Overweight Adolescents

Although the trend of obese teenagers seeking out gastric bypass surgery has skyrocketed in recent years, many researchers have expressed concern about the safety of this procedure for younger patients. However, the results of a recent study conducted by scientists at the NYU Medical Center indicates that lap banding procedures have very favorable safety and efficacy ratings among this age group.

Among a group of obese 13- to 17-year-olds, the lap band procedure was equally effective in spurring weight loss. In addition, these patients experienced far fewer complications than did their counterparts who underwent gastric bypass surgery. The scientists concluded that this procedure may be preferable for overweight adolescents.

If you?re considering weight loss surgery, make sure that you consult with a qualified medical professional to help make the right decision. Please check back here each week for more of the research news you need to succeed in your journey to better health!