As weight loss surgery becomes more and more popular, we wanted to discuss the differences between surgical and non-surgical weight loss procedures. First and foremost, it’s important to determine the distinction between the two options for losing weight and what the benefits are for each one.
Let’s dive right in!
Surgical Weight Loss
Surgical weight loss programs are often referring to gastric banding, gastric bypass, and gastric sleeve operations. While each of these surgeries are different, they all have a few things in common – incisions, anesthetics, and hospitalization. While this may not sound like much, it means longer operation times, increased risk of medical complications, and a more expensive weight loss option.
For example, Gastric Bypass Surgery consists of the surgeon making changes to your stomach and small intestine to alter the way you consume and digest food. As mentioned above, because a surgeon is altering the structure of your stomach and small intestine structure, there is an increased risk for medical complications.
With the Gastric Sleeve Operation, a surgeon will remove a large part of your stomach, once again changing the way you digest the food you eat. In addition to potential medical issues, the procedure is much more permanent than non-surgical weight loss options, causing many patients to reconsider the various risks involved.
A Gastric Band, or Lap Band, is the least invasive of the weight-loss surgeries. By making small incisions around your stomach, the doctor places a band around your stomach to restrict food intake. While the Gastric Band is a reversible procedure, there have been many complications with weight loss reported by patients. According to UCLA Health, more than half of gastric band operations are removed after 7-10 years due to complications or ineffective weight loss.
There have been incredible technological advancements in recent years allowing for weight loss solutions that don’t require surgery, like the gastric balloon procedure. In fact, the non-surgical gastric balloon can lead to as much, if not more, weight loss as many surgical options. We’ll discuss more about that below.
Non-Surgical Gastric Balloon
The gastric balloon procedure is non-surgical, meaning there is no anesthetic, no incisions, and no hospitalization. The weight loss balloon is implanted through an endoscopy while the patient is under conscious sedation. The procedure is performed at an outpatient surgery center, meaning there is no hospitalization required. Every one of these factors set the gastric balloon apart from other forms of bariatric surgery.
Additionally, the gastric balloon has far less risk involved due to the fact that it’s non-surgical, and as a result, the cost is often far less than other weight loss options.
There are 2 types of gastric balloons, non-adjustable and adjustable. Non-adjustable balloons are similar to a “one-size fits all” product; the only issue is that one size never does fit everybody. By using this strategy, non-adjustable balloons will most often prove to be ineffective. According to USA Trials, each of the non-adjustable balloons received a success rating of LESS THAN 50% – meaning your chances of losing weight are pretty low.
There is only one Adjustable Gastric Balloon on the market, the Spatz3. As an adjustable balloon, Spatz doesn’t believe in the “one-size fits all” concept because every body requires personalized attention. Being that we can adjust the volume of your balloon, the Spatz3 can ensure the highest weight loss results and the best overall success rates. In fact, during the same USA Trial mentioned above, the Spatz3 Adjustable Gastric Balloon received a success rating of 84% – meaning you have an incredibly high chance of demonstrating effective weight loss.
As you can see, there is an incredible benefit to using an adjustable gastric balloon to meet your weight loss goals. When it comes to weight loss balloons, Spatz is in a league of its own.
The Spatz3 Adjustable Gastric Balloon
As we mentioned, the Spatz3 is in a league of its own. Due to our unique adjustability feature, we can decrease the balloon volume to ensure a comfortable weight loss journey, and we can increase the balloon volume to extend treatment time, allowing for more weight loss.
Being that we are the only adjustable balloon on the market, you won’t see these results from anyone else. With almost double the weight loss as our closest competitor and nearly double the overall success rates, the choice is clear – Spatz3 is the most effective weight loss program.
