Surgical Solutions
Lap-Band® and Gastric Bypass Surgery
In the United States, these operations are the two most common. Gastric bypass is currently the more popular of the two, and has been in use since 1967. The Lap-Band®, which is the brand name for a laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB), has been in use in the United States since 2001, and has been used for longer in Europe and Australia. Gastric bypass is also called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. When performed laparoscopically, it is often called "Lap-RNY" for short.
Both Lap-Band® and gastric bypass are surgical procedures designed to help a person lose weight and improve the obesity related health problems. How each surgery accomplishes this is different, and will be discussed in more detail in the sections below.
