Lap band surgery and gastric sleeve procedures both result in weight loss by reducing the size of the stomach, but there are several very significant distinctions that patients need to be aware of when it comes to gastric sleeve credentials. Although though gastric bypass surgery has been around for more than 50 years in some capacity, many people are still discovering different weight loss surgical choices for the first time. Perhaps this explains why so many individuals are uncertain about crucial distinctions between gastric sleeve and lap band surgery. What then are the requirements for the gastric sleeve, particularly if prospective patients want their insurance company to authorize them for treatment?
What is gastric band surgery?
A surgically implanted device called an adjustable gastric band aids in weight loss in obese patients. It is one of many bariatric procedures that limits how much you can consume at once (restrictive weight loss surgery). Your stomach will become smaller with the adjustable gastric band without becoming permanently split, unlike other operations.
What is gastric Sleeve surgery?
The gastric sleeve, commonly known as a sleeve gastrectomy, is a weight loss surgery procedure. It works by making your stomach smaller. The term “gastrectomy” refers to the partial or complete removal of your stomach. A tubular “sleeve,” roughly the size and shape of a banana, is left behind after the gastric sleeve procedure eliminates nearly 80% of your stomach.
How does the Lap-Band work?
The gastric band is a soft silicone inflated and adjustable tube. It is positioned in the shape of a ring around your upper abdomen. This inflated ring is attached to a port that is positioned just below the surface of your skin. By accessing the skin port and injecting saline solution in a quantity that allows a little exit between the upper and lower halves of your stomach, your surgeon can tighten the fit of the band. This upper stomach pouch will swiftly fill up after you eat, helping you feel filled more quickly.
What does a gastric sleeve do?
You may easily limit how much food you can consume at one time by reducing the size of your stomach, which will also help you feel fuller more quickly. Nevertheless, it also has another function, which is to limit the quantity of hunger-inducing hormones your stomach can make. This aids in reducing appetite and cravings and might assist to stop the urges that lead people to put on weight after losing it.

Understanding the Difference Between Lap Band and Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Let’s start with the similarities between these two weight loss surgeries. In both operations, the bariatric surgeon will change the size of the stomach to hold less food. This can lead to rapid weight loss and better overall health. Gastric band involves shrinking without damaging the patient’s stomach, while gastric sleeve involves cutting out part of the stomach. Therefore, they are different treatments from each other.
Two Types of Restriction-Based Weight Loss Surgery
In lap band surgery, an adjustable band is wrapped around the upper part of the stomach, leaving only a small section that can hold food. In sleeve gastrectomy surgery, weight loss doctors take up to 80% of the stomach to create a smaller, tube stomach. There are significant differences between the two. However, gastric sleeve treatment is preferred more frequently in Turkey. Gastric sleeve treatment is more preferred because the risks of gastric band are higher.
Can Weight Loss Surgery Be Reversed?
Most importantly, unlike gastric sleeve surgery, lap band surgery is reversible. An area of the stomach that has been removed can never be restored. Gastric sleeve surgery can also be paired with a gastric bypass when a drastic weight loss is required. A large amount of success has been seen with just gastric bypass surgery, including an 80% resolution of diabetes and a more than 90% resolution of sleep apnea. The benefits could be extremely significant when combined with gastric sleeve surgery.
Gastric Sleeve Qualifications Are More Intensive
Surgery for weight loss is more than just a treatment to get rid of extra fat. It’s a serious procedure that doctors at medical weight loss programs offer. These procedures are intended to combat the potentially catastrophic consequences of obesity, which can raise the risk of diabetes by 20 times, as well as the risk of high blood pressure, gallstones, heart disease, and stroke.
Those who have a BMI of 30 or more are eligible for lap band surgery. On the other hand, individuals must be deemed “morbidly obese” in order to be candidates for gastric sleeve surgery. Patients must additionally have at least one major obesity-related health issue in addition to a BMI of at least 40 in order to be eligible for the more stringent gastric sleeve requirements.
