| Stomach
Balloon |
Adjustable
Gastric Band |
| Best option for patients with a
BMI under 35 |
Best option for patients with a
BMI over 35 |
| Definite role for some patients
with BMI over 35 |
Definite role for some patients
with BMI under 35 |
| Day Case – discharged usually
within an hour |
Usually One Night Stay |
| Takes 10 minutes |
Takes about 1 hour |
| Local Anaesthetic Throat Spray
+/- Sedation |
General Anaesthetic |
| No Surgery whatsoever – very
simple endoscopic procedure – placed and removed through mouth |
Requires Laparoscopic
(keyhole) Surgery |
| No procedure
actually inside your abdominal cavity – almost zero placement
complication rate in experienced hands |
Requires the
band be passed through your abdominal cavity and around your stomach – minimal
but recognised placement complication rate in experienced hands |
| Considered a
minor medical procedure |
Considered a “proper” surgical
operation |
| Requires an intense
behaviour modification programme – the balloon does some of the work;
but you have to put the effort in too!! |
Requires a less
intensive programme – even though you still have to put a lot of effort
in, the band does do more of the work for you!! |
| Removed after
6 months |
Can remain in
place indefinitely |
| Non-adjustable |
Adjustable |
| Works by significantly restricting the
capacity of your stomach so that you eat less and feel fuller quicker |
Works by severely restricting the
capacity of your stomach so that you are only able to eat very tiny amounts |
| Does not work
by causing malabsorption |
Does not work
by causing malabsorption |
| Easily reversed
by simple endoscopic puncture and removal |
Relatively easily
reversed by further laparoscopic keyhole surgery |
| Technology very
well tried and tested for safety and effectiveness |
Technology very
well tried and tested for safety and effectiveness |
| Very few longer
term risks and complications |
Well recognised
longer term risks and complications, but uncommon in experienced hands |
| Excellent for
patients with less of a weight problem who want an intense period of fast weight
loss and who understand that they must keep to a sensible eating programme afterwards |
Excellent for
patients with a more severe weight problem, who understand that they are going
to need a long term solution to their long term weight problem |
| Aimed at producing a healthy relationship
with food |
Aimed at significantly restricting
the patient’s capacity to eat |
| Most patients eat “normal” food – just
less of it |
Most patients have to eat blended
or pureed food for short periods |
| Very high patient satisfaction
rate |
Very high patient satisfaction
rate |
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