When it comes to bariatric surgery, there are a few procedures available to help you lose weight and lead a healthier life. The two most common options are gastric sleeve and gastric bypass; however, a third common procedure exists – the lap band, also referred to as the adjustable gastric band.
If you’ve had gastric banding surgery performed in the past and experienced less than ideal results, you may be curious about whether or not a different weight loss surgery can still be performed. Luckily, the answer is yes!
A gastric band is an inflatable silicone device which is inserted and fitted through laparoscopic surgery around your stomach so as to divide it into an ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ stomach. Like other weight loss surgeries, it aims to help you feel full more quickly, so you eat less and take longer to feel hungry again. It is also meant to help slow the digestive process. However, the common issue with this type of weight loss surgery is hardware malfunction, which causes an unsatisfying amount of weight loss.
At 360 Sleeve, we’ve had many patients come to our clinic with the gastric band having had little to no success and are looking to convert to sleeve gastrectomy. Oftentimes, during these cases we discover the lap band to be broken and thus not providing adequate restriction. Since we’ve seen this to be a very common issue, we do not recommend gastric banding.
In general, gastric sleeve surgery allows for greater weight loss results amongst patients as well as fewer complications. With the gastric band, you can expect to lose around 40-60% of your initial body weight, compared to the expected weight loss of 60-70% experienced with gastric sleeve.
While short term complications from gastric banding are rare, recent evidence suggests significant long-term complication rates with as many as 60% of patients requiring additional surgery, according to Columbia University’s Department of Surgery.
If you are looking to convert your band to the sleeve, it’s important to seek out a clinic with plenty of experience with revision cases. These operations are more challenging than the standard sleeve gastrectomy due to a buildup of scar tissue.
Our experienced surgeons have successfully performed band-to-sleeve conversions on numerous occasions so there is no doubt you’ll be in excellent hands at 360 Sleeve at our gastric sleeve Toronto clinic. In addition, our holistic after-care approach spans 6 years post-op, during which we will be able to support you in reaching your weight loss goals in a more reliable manner than with gastric banding.
To speak to one of our highly experienced gastric sleeve surgeons, you can book your free consultation today.
