Always Consider Every Option!

Many bariatric surgeons, looking to make a name for themselves, brand their practice as the place to go for one specific bariatric procedure. They put forward a single surgery as the best, most "cutting edge" option for their patients, when in reality, every patient is different. At University Bariatrics, we objectively examine every case to determine what is best for the patient, not the doctor. Here are the three major types of bariatric surgery, and depending on your case, any one of them may be right for you.

1. Lap Band - Perhaps the most discussed procedure, the Lap Band involves placing an adjustable band around the entrance to the stomach that limits the amount and speed at which patients eat. While this is the least invasive procedure and is reversible, it does not usually result in as much weight lost as other options.
2. Sleeve Gastrectomy - The gastric sleeve surgery involves removing a portion of the stomach so the patient gets full much faster. This surgery results in moderate weight loss but has a very slight increase in complication risk.
3. Gastric Bypass - The oldest and most documented of the procedures, the gastric bypass involves rerouting the way food is digested away from the stomach so the patient can only eat very small amounts of food at a time. Although this results in the largest amount of weight lost, it is the most invasive. Yet, because it is the oldest, doctors know more about it's risks and benefits than any of the other procedures

If you are considering bariatric surgery in Thousand Oaks, the key to selecting a procedure is talking to your bariatric surgeon to balance the risks and rewards depending on the severity of your obesity.