Weight Loss Surgeries Comparison

Authors: Marcus Free MD, Waqar Ahmad PhD, Kelly Daly RDN, and Don Juravin (Don Karl Juravin).

Overview

Though weight-loss surgeries have also benefits and happy customers, we would list here the complications side of the surgeries. Our 501(c)3 nonprofit is dedicated to a healthy lifestyle change that can lead also to a healthy weight without surgery. The natural way should be preferred over the surgical. 

180,000 bariatric surgeries are completed every year, in America alone. The five most common bariatric surgeries include gastric bypass surgery, laparoscopic gastric band (aka Lap band), sleeve gastrectomy (aka Gastric sleeve), sleeve gastrectomy with duodenal switch, and vertical banded gastroplasty (aka Stomach stapling). 

Gastric Bypass Surgery

http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bariatric-surgery/multimedia/gastric-bypass-surgery/img-20005762

Price: ~$25,500
Insurance: Insurance is available for gastric bypass surgery. An individual opting for this surgery needs to check with their surgeon and hospital if insurance is included, and if not, organize insurance coverage themselves.
Procedure: This surgery is completed in two steps:

1. Reduced stomach capacity: The stomach is divided into a small upper pouch and a larger bottom section. The upper pouch is where consumed food goes and the bottom section is unused.
2. Bypass: The start of the small intestine (duodenum) is bypassed and a later part of the small intestine (jejunum) is connected to a small hole in the upper pouch of the stomach. The food then travels directly from the pouch into this new opening and into the intestine, resulting in fewer calories and nutrients being absorbed.

Complications: Bowel obstruction, dumping syndrome, gallstones, hernia, life-long malnutrition, stomach perforation, ulcers, and hypoglycemia.

Laparoscopic Gastric Band (aka Lap-Band)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Adjustable_Gastric_Band.png

Price: ~$14,500
Insurance: Insurance is available for a laparoscopic gastric band. An individual opting for this surgery needs to check with their surgeon and hospital if insurance is included, and if not, organise insurance coverage themselves.
Complications: Severe nutritional deficiencies, slippage of the band, infection of the port, band erosion, and abdominal infection.
Procedure: A silicone band is placed on the opening of the stomach which restricts food intake by decreasing the stomach volume. This promotes satiety and inhibits hunger hormones.

Sleeve Gastrectomy (aka Gastric Sleeve)

http://tucsonbariatric.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/procedure-sleeve.jpg

Price: ~$14,900
Insurance: Insurance is available for sleeve gastrectomy surgery. An individual opting for this surgery needs to check with their surgeon and hospital if insurance is included, and if not, organize insurance coverage themselves.
Complications: Malnutrition, severe pain, ulcers, intestinal obstruction, and anemia.
Procedure: This is a restrictive procedure and decreases the stomach size by ~80%. The part of the stomach which produces hunger hormones is removed, and therefore less hunger is experienced.

Sleeve Gastrectomy With Duodenal Switch

http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/duodenal-switch.html

Price: ~$46,000
Insurance: Insurance is available for sleeve gastrectomy with duodenal switch. An individual opting for this surgery needs to check with their surgeon and hospital if insurance is included, and if not, organize insurance coverage themselves.
Complications: Leakage, wound infection, lifelong malnutrition, protein deficiency, alopecia (hair thinning), gallstones, ongoing diarrhea, dumping syndrome, nausea, and vomiting.
Procedure: This surgery is performed in two steps:

1. Sleeve gastrectomy: ~80 percent of the stomach is removed and the remainder is converted into a slender tube.
2. Duodenal switch: The small bowel that normally connects to the stomach (called the duodenum) is divided to create the bypass. Consumed food would normally go from the sleeve into the initial part of the small intestine, but is re-routed or ”switched” to the lower part of the small intestine resulting in fewer calories absorbed.

Vertical Banded Gastroplasty (aka Stomach Stapling)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Blausen_0904_VerticalBandedGastroplasty.png 

Price: ~$23,000
Insurance: Insurance is available for vertical banded gastroplasty. An individual opting for this surgery needs to check with their surgeon and hospital if insurance is included, and if not, organize insurance coverage themselves.
Complications: Leakage and infection from staples, severe discomfort, severe pain, malnutrition, and vomiting.
Procedure: Both a band and staples are used to create a small stomach pouch. In the bottom of the pouch is an approximate one-centimeter hole through which the pouch contents can flow into the remainder of the stomach and then onto the remainder of the gastrointestinal tract. The pouch limits the amount of food a patient can eat at one time and slows the passage of food.

Footnote

This research was sponsored by GLOBESITY FOUNDATION (nonprofit organization) and managed by Don Juravin. GLOBESITY Bootcamp for the obese is part of GLOBESITY FOUNDATION which helps obese with 70 to 400 lbs excess fat to adopt a healthy lifestyle and thereby achieve a healthy weight.

Tags: surgeries comparison, gastric bypass surgery, GLOBESITY FOUNDATION, laparoscopic gastric band, sleeve gastrectomy, duodenal switch, vertical banded gastroplasty