We offer Gastric Bands, Gastric Bypasses and Gastric Balloons. The choice of which treatment you have is yours to make but we will advise you taking into account your individual weight problem and health goals. Briefly, there are two modes of action in weight loss surgery:
• Restrictive operations cause weight loss by reducing the amount of food that can go into your stomach. This makes you feel full very quickly, removes hunger and reduces the need to eat. The Gastric Band works by restriction. The Gastric Balloon also works by reducing your stomach‘s capacity for food.
• Operations that cause malabsorption reduce the amount of food that can be digested by the intestine. Restriction and malabsorption effects are combined in the Gastric Bypass operation.
The Gastric Band and Gastric Bypass operations are performed by keyhole (laparoscopic) surgical methods and have the advantages of reduced operative risk, quicker recovery and less scarring. The Gastric Balloon is inserted through your mouth by endoscopy.
The amount of weight loss after surgery depends both on the type of operation and your dietary habits. In medical literature, success after weight loss surgery is most commonly recorded as ‘percentage of excess weight loss’. International studies show that the average excess weight loss in the two years after a Gastric Band is around 50-65% and after a Gastric Bypass it is 65-75%. Look at our BMI calculator to see how much excess weight you are carrying and what your weight will be if you lose 50 or 70% of your excess weight. This will give you a rough guide as to where your weight will end up (statistically). Weight loss of this magnitude will result in a completely changed body image and improved quality of life. However, the amount of weight you want to lose is just one of the many factors that make up the decision about which operation is right for you.
