Laparoscopic surgery for obesity has three forms:
Restrictive - The aim of this type of surgery is to reduce the volume of the stomach and consequently the size of meals taken.
Traditionally this was achieved by a vertical banded gastroplasty, an open operation where a small gastric pouch was formed.
Today the same effect can be produced laparoscopically: More...
Malabsorptive - This type of surgery bypasses a variable portion of the intestine to prevent the body absorbing the food eaten. The malabasorption reduces calory utilisation at the expense of unpleasant side-effects: More...
Combination - Originally devised for use in the super obese a malabsorptive procedure was combined with a restrictive procedure to maximise weight loss. These procedures have produced such dramatic and sustained weight loss and reversal of obesity related conditions that they are recommended by many as the first line operation: More...