Deciding to get weight loss surgery is never easy. Moreover, after making that decision, there are still a number of procedures from which to choose. Michael Feiz, M.D., F.A.C.S. wants you to know that the best one for youdepends on a lot of things: your goals, your current health, our advice and which procedures are covered by your insurance. The issue of lap band vs. sleeve vs. other procedures is never a one-size-fits-all situation.

Choosing a specific surgical approach will require a lot of thought and discussion with your physician. But here's some basic information to get you started….

There are two basic types of weight loss surgery – known medically as restrictive surgeries and malabsorptive/restrictive surgeries. They help with weight loss in different ways. Restrictive surgery, such as the Lap Band and the gastric sleeve, works by physically restricting the size of the stomach and slowing down digestion. A normal stomach can hold about 3 pints of food. After surgery, however, the stomach may at first hold as little as an ounce, although later that could stretch to 2 or 3 ounces. The smaller the stomach, the less you can eat. The less you eat, the more weight you lose.

Malabsorptive/restrictive surgeries, such as the gastric bypass (Rou-en-Y), are more invasive surgeries that work by changing how you take in food. In addition to restricting the size of the stomach, these surgeries physically remove or bypass parts of your digestive tract, which makes it harder for your body to absorb calories.

The advantage to the Lap Band and gastric banding is that they are simpler to do and less invasive than Rou-en-Y and other operations. It's routinely done as minimally invasive surgery, using small incisions, special instruments, and a tiny camera called a laparoscope. When Lap Band or similar procedures fail to produce results or have complications, band to sleeve operations are an area of special expertise form Dr. Feiz.

Whether you are considering an initial procedure or believe you may benefit from a lap band revision surgery or a similar procedure, you next best step is to contact the offices of Dr. Feiz and Associates.