Other Surgery Options

In addition to gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery, you may be a candidate for another option based on your personal preferences and needs. If you are interested, discuss how one of the following might be a good choice for you with your surgeon.

Gastric Band

Your success with a gastric band depends on your lifestyle, long-term diet, and exercise routine after surgery. You’ll have to establish habits for success—being self-aware and determined to be successful will help you. Gastric band may be ideal for you, if you don’t have too much weight to lose and want a low risk, reversible procedure for weight loss.

Mindful, planned eating with healthy food choices, careful chewing and not mixing solid food and liquid at a meal are critical to success. You will digest food normally following gastric band surgery.

The gastric band reduces hunger and the amount of food the stomach can hold. The band also puts pressure on a nerve that wraps around the stomach—the vagus nerve—that signals the brain that you are full, even after you’ve eaten a small portion of food.

The procedure involves placing an implant, a soft silicone ring with an expandable balloon in the center, around the top part of the stomach, creating a two-compartment stomach, with a much smaller top part above the band. You will eat just enough food to fill the top part of the stomach. Over time, after the meal, the food passes through the opening of the band into the remainder of the stomach for digestion.

Weight loss after gastric band is modest compared to sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass.

Duodenal Switch

A duodenal switch is a two-part procedure that both restricts intake and decreases nutrient absorption. A complicated procedure, our expert surgeons are qualified to perform this surgery when it is the best option for you.

In addition to removing part of the stomach, as in the gastric sleeve procedure, the surgeon also performs a bypass of a significant part of your small intestine. This results in decreasing the amount of nutrients, including ingested fats, that your body absorbs, and requires that you take vitamins and nutrients according to your doctor’s orders so that you do not become malnourished.

Duodenal switch is the most effective surgical treatment for reversing Type 2 diabetes, but it is also the most complex and high-risk bariatric surgery. We reserve duodenal switch procedures for a small and specific group of patients. Your surgeon will discuss with you if this option is appropriate for you.

Revision Surgery

If you have not been able to achieve sufficient weight loss or have had significant weight regain following a previous bariatric surgical procedure, or if you have complications resulting from a previous bariatric surgery, our surgeons may be able to help you. We will advise you about your options that may include revision surgery to increase your chances of achieving your goals.

Endoscopic Bariatric Treatments

Depending on your level of obesity and overall health, this new form of weight loss procedure may be an option for you. These procedures use a flexible endoscope that passes through your gastrointestinal tract safely without making an incision to achieve weight loss results. Ask your surgeon if you are eligible for an endoscopic bariatric treatment.