Exceptional Gastric Sleeve, Gastric Bypass, and LAP-BAND® System Surgery

Most bariatric procedures involve relatively extensive surgery to decrease the size of the stomach. In this way, the amount patients are able to eat before becoming full is dramatically reduced and their appetite is diminished. There are several surgical options available, however, each offering different advantages depending on the needs of individual patients. Before you come to our practice in Monterrey, Mexico, we will determine whether LAP-BAND® System surgery, a gastric bypass, gastric sleeve treatment (also known as sleeve gastrectomy), or the intragastric balloon technique would best resolve your weight problems. In the meantime, here is an overview of what each procedure can do.

LAP-BAND® System Surgery (Gastric Banding) Gastric Bypass Gastric Sleeve (Sleeve Gastrectomy) BioEnterics® Intragastric Balloon (BIB®)

LAP-BAND® System Surgery (Gastric Banding)

LAP-BAND® System surgery (sometimes called gastric banding) is used to reduce the size of the stomach, an extremely effective way of limiting how much a person can eat during a meal. At the same time, it causes patients to feel full sooner than they normally would, substantially reducing their appetite. In addition, because LAP-BAND® System surgery is a laparoscopic technique (hence the name "LAP" band), it is less invasive than other types of bariatric surgery. This also means the LAP-BAND® System is a relatively quick procedure, and involves minimal scarring, a shorter recovery period, and reduced risk of complications.

At our state-of-the-art facility in Mexico, our bariatric surgeon, performs LAP-BAND® System surgery by placing a silicone ring around the upper portion of the stomach. The ring is then locked tight, creating a substantially reduced stomach area. A major advantage of the LAP-BAND® System — the fact that it is both adjustable and can be removed if needed — stems from the use of the silicone ring. Because the size of the ring can be altered by filling it with or draining it of silicone fluid, the size of the stomach can be adjusted to accommodate each patient's weight-loss needs. Additionally, if complications arise, the ring can easily be removed and an alternative weight-loss treatment proposed. For these and other reasons, LAP-BAND® System surgery has been recognized by the FDA as an effective treatment for severe excess weight.

For those who would like more detailed information about LAP-BAND® System surgery, we have provided an educational video that demonstrates how the procedure works.

Gastric Bypass

Like the other bariatric procedures performed at our practice in northern Mexico, a gastric bypass is intended to help individuals suffering from extreme obesity, generally those with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above. It is a serious procedure and is often considered a last resort, to be used only in the event that lifestyle changes and other means of achieving weight loss have failed, and when severe excess weight has begun to threaten a person's health. For the right patient, it can be an effective — even necessary — way to avert potentially life-threatening health problems.

As in LAP-BAND® System surgery, the gastric bypass procedure entails reducing the size of the stomach to minimize the patient's ability to overeat. However, instead of the expandable saline ring used in the LAP-BAND® System, a plastic band or surgical staples are used to separate a small pouch from the rest of the stomach. This much smaller stomach area is then connected to the middle portion of the small intestine. In this way, food is made to bypass the upper portion of the small intestine, keeping calories away from the area where most of them are absorbed, which further enhances weight loss. The majority of gastric bypass procedures at our clinic are performed laparoscopically, and open surgery is used only when patients present a number of comorbidities or if other complications arise. Using the finest technology available in the United States and Mexico, Dr. Chapa Valdez has employed the gastric bypass technique to achieve remarkable results for patients.

Gastric Sleeve (Sleeve Gastrectomy)

Our Monterrey practice also offers gastric sleeve surgery (sometimes known as sleeve gastrectomy) as a way for eligible candidates to lose weight.  Unlike gastric bypass surgery, the gastric sleeve technique does not reconfigure the intestine or alter digestion. During the procedure, a large portion of the stomach, usually about 60 percent, is surgically removed. A sleeve gastrectomy is completed in two steps, with an interval of ten months to one year between these steps. One advantage of this technique is that the area removed includes the part of the stomach that produces the hormones responsible for the sensation of hunger. By further minimizing the desire to eat, a sleeve gastrectomy can enhance weight-loss results for patients.

The shape of the stomach following a sleeve gastrectomy resembles a narrow tube or sleeve — hence the name of the procedure. As after other bariatric techniques, the reduced size of the stomach effectively limits the amount of food a person wishes or is able to eat. As a result, most patients lose between 30 percent and 50 percent of their excess weight in the 6 to 12 months following a sleeve gastrectomy. While people enjoy substantial weight loss from the gastric sleeve procedure on its own, it is usually performed to prepare extremely obese patients for a second procedure, such as a gastric bypass.

BioEnterics® Intragastric Balloon (BIB®) — A Nonsurgical Alternative

Like the surgical options described above, the BioEnterics® Intragastric Balloon (BIB®) is used to make patients feel full sooner than they normally would, causing them to eat considerably less. However, whereas bariatric surgery actually modifies the size and shape of the stomach, BIB® treatment leaves it unaltered.

During this nonsurgical procedure, Dr. Chapa Valdez inserts the inflatable intragastric balloon through the esophagus and into the stomach. The balloon is then filled with a certain amount of saline solution, depending on the patient's needs. By taking up space in the stomach, the enlarged balloon induces a sensation of being full, effectively curbing the patient's appetite.  For the right people, this relatively simple device can lead to substantial weight loss. In addition, because the BIB® device is removable and requires no surgery, it involves minimal risk of complications.

Contact Our Practice in Monterrey, Mexico, to Learn More

Deciding whether to undergo bariatric surgery is never simple. Most potential patients have questions about what weight-loss surgery can do for them, which procedure would best meet their needs, what risks are involved, and whether they qualify for treatment. If you have these or other questions, feel free to contact our practice in Monterrey in northern Mexico. Whether you are considering LAP-BAND® System surgery, a gastric sleeve (sleeve gastrectomy), a gastric bypass, or BioEnterics® Intragastric Balloon treatment, Dr. Raul Chapa Valdez and our staff will be able to assist you.