The Adjustable Gastric Band Advantage

1. Significantly lower mortality risk than other obesity surgeries.
   
   a. The risk of mortality during the first 30 days following surgery with the gastric bypass is 0.5-1% (less than one out of every 100 patients die from the procedure). The mortality rate may also be as high as 4.8% in the first year following surgery.
   
   b. The risk of mortality during the first 30 days following surgery the adjustable gastric band is 0-0.05% (zero to one in 2000 may die from the procedure).
   
   c. And those who die rarely do so from the procedure, but usually from an underlying obesity related illness, such as coronary artery disease with subsequent heart attack.
   


2. Low risk of nutritional deficiencies which are associated with gastric bypass
   
3. Reduced risk of hair loss; often associated with gastric bypass 
   
4. No dumping syndrome related to dietary intake restrictions


5. No bone disease or osteoperosis as often associated with gastric bypass.


6. No iron deficiency anemia as often associated with gastric bypass.

Adjustable

1. Allows individualized degree of restriction for ideal, long-term weight loss
   
   
2. Adjustments performed without additional surgery
   
   
3. Supports pregnancy by allowing stomach outlet size to be opened for increased nutritional needs

a. Note: It is not recommended that you become pregnant after a gastric bypass, as women are often malnourished. You lose weight after gastric bypass because you cannot get enough nutrition to support yourself. If you cannot get enough nutrition to support yourself, then you cannot get enough nutrition to support a developing baby.

b. Women taking birth control pills sometimes get pregnant after gastric bypass because they do not digest the medication normally.

Reversible

1. Removable at any time


2. Stomach and other anatomy are generally restored to their original forms and functions
   

Has Stood the Test of Time: Proven Effective Long-Term Weight Loss

1. More than 500,000 cases performed worldwide (as of 2009).


2. Standard of care for hundreds of practices around the world.
   
   (the procedure of choice for weight loss surgery performed outside of the United States is the adjustable gastric band. (95% of all weight loss surgery performed in Australia is using the Lap-Band).


3. Academic publications with greater than 15 years of follow-up 
   
   

Other Topics

• View Online Video
• Risk Information
• Adjustable Gastric Band System
• Adjustable Gastric Band Candidates