Being severely overweight can result in a number of health problems. For this reason, bariatric surgical procedures have been developed to help people lose excess weight. Laparoscopic gastric banding is one popular procedure, but there are many different types of weight loss surgery.
Weight Loss
As a general rule, patients who receive laparoscopic gastric banding can expect to lose between 45 and 70 percent of their excess weight within two years of the operation, UpToDate.com explains. This is in comparison to gastric bypass, which can yield between 50 and 75 percent of excess weight loss after two years, and a gastric sleeve procedure, which can allow patients to lose 33 percent of their excess body weight after one year.
Reversibility
Laparoscopic gastric banding is unique among bariatric surgical procedures in that it can be reversed or adjusted to suit changes in nutritional needs, LapBand.com explains. Other forms of bariatric surgery may not be easily reversed or adjusted because of the severing of digestive tissue.
Vitamins
Patients receiving bariatric procedures will need to take vitamin supplements to compensate for their reduced food intake, the About Weight Loss Surgery website explains. Patients who receive laparoscopic gastric banding will need to take calcium supplements and multivitamins, whereas patients receiving other procedures may require these, as well as vitamin B12, and in some cases, iron supplements.
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