Gastric Bypass More Effective Than Lap-Band Weight Loss Surgery

Gastric bypass and Lap-Band are both common surgical options for weight loss in obese people, but when compared to each other, gastric bypass surgery comes out as the better option, according to a new study.

The risks of both surgeries were found to be equal, but overall patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery do much better post-surgery than the Lap-Band patients.

The gastric bypass patients lost 64 percent of their excess weight in the year following surgery as opposed to Lap-Band patients who lost just 36 percent of excess weight in the same period.

"Gastric bypass surgery is safe and more effective," Dr. Guilherme M. Campos, study author and associate professor of surgery at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, told AOL Health. "It has the same safety profile and better long-term results."

Gastric bypass surgery was also proved to be the better method for obese diabetics in another related study. The diabetic symptoms in the gastric bypass patients significantly subsided but did not improve in the Lap-Band patients.

With regard to complications, 12 percent of patients in the Lap-Band group and 15 percent of patients in the gastric bypass group experienced complications. Gastric bypass patients were most likely to have complications immediately after surgery, while Lap-Band patients were more likely to need a second operation. None of the patients died as a result of either surgery.

Visit AOL Health to read more about gastric bypass and Lap-Band surgery.