Gastric Bypass Surgery Study: Positive Outcomes

A study of two popular bariatric surgery procedures—Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and gastric banding—found that both had very good weight loss outcomes at 6 years after surgery. Weight loss was faster, greater and remained “significantly better” six years after gastric bypass compared with patients who received a gastric band, according to the researchers. However, patients with the band lost 65 percent of their excess weight at six years, which is quite a successful outcome. Gastric bypass patients lost on average, 79 percent of their excess weight after six years. The study, published in Archives of Surgery is one of the longest studies in the United States of these two common weight loss procedures, to-date.

The study was comprised of 442 patients in Switzerland who underwent bariatric surgery from 1998 through 2005. Of the total, 221 had the gastric bypass procedure and the other 221 a gastric band placed. The patients were matched according to sex, age and Body Mass Index (BMI). In order to qualify for surgery, patients had a BMI of greater than 40, or greater than 35 with at least one other disease (such as diabetes). None of the patients had a BMI exceeding 50. After a year, the average BMI in the bypass group fell below 30, and the gastric band group fell to about 34. A BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese. The researchers found that for gastric band patients, maximum weight loss was achieved at 36 months, while the bypass patients achieved maximum weight loss at 18 months. Immediately following surgery, the gastric bypass patients had more complications, with a complication rate of 17%. This is not surprising, however, considering that the gastric bypass is a more complex procedure requiring longer operative time and hospital stay. The gastric band patients had a complication rate of 5.4% immediately following surgery.

At Surgical Specialists of Louisiana, we believe that it is important to the success of patients to have surgical options when choosing which surgery best fits your medical situation, comfort level and lifestyle. We are one of the few programs in our area which offers patients a choice of the full spectrum of weight loss surgery options, from incisionless procedures to more traditional weight loss surgeries such as gastric bypass. You can learn more about our program here.

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