If you’re a resident of the Inland Empire considering a bariatric procedure, such as a sleeve gastrectomy in Rancho Cucamonga, you’re hardly alone. Dr. Michael Feiz, M.D., F.A.C.S. has helped a great many patients from throughout Southern California to defeat their obesity, often after many years of trying to lose weight on their own.
The good news is that the science and medical technology behind bariatric surgery is continuing to improve and doctors are learning more every day about what works best. It’s true that many patients have enjoyed success in losing weight with the help of Lap Bands. However, at present, Dr. Feiz is steering most of his patients towards a procedure known as the sleeve gastrectomy.
Lap Band vs. Sleeve Gastrectomy
Many people know about weight loss surgery, but a lot of people are not aware that there’s more than one type. Here is a brief comparison of the two most commonly obtained procedures:
The Lap Band is placed around the upper part of the stomach. The primary benefit of banding the stomach is that the procedure makes it uncomfortable to overeat, encouraging a much smaller diet and, therefore, weight loss. Many patients have found this procedure attractive, because it is reversible and significantly less invasive that the older gastric bypass procedure. It should be noted, however, that it typically involves a number of additional procedures to adjust the band. Additionally, the band will often move out of place, which has made the surgery less popular today.
Sleeve Gastrectomy is a permanent procedure that is nevertheless also a great deal less invasive than the gastric bypass surgery – which literally bypasses a large part of the digestive tract. It removes approximately 75%-85% of the stomach to create a smaller sleeve-like shape, while still preserving the essential functioning of the stomach and digestive tract.
Sleeve gastrectomies are extremely reliable because they combine the benefits of making overeating comfortable with an important hormonal bonus: at the same time as it reduces the size of the stomach, the surgery also removes the part of the body that produces a hormone called ghrelin. Since this hormone is very largely responsible for the ever-increasing urges to overeat that make losing weight and keeping it off so difficult, patients are typically much more comfortable than before with eating a great deal less food after the procedure.
If you are interested in a weight loss surgery, the best and only way to get started is to set up a consultation with a highly qualified bariatric and reputable surgeon like Dr. Feiz.
Contact Us
Our team at Dr. Feiz & Associates will be delighted to meet with you. To learn more, call us at the number above, or reach out via e-mail through our contact page.