Lap bands have fallen way out of favor. Currently the surgical option is something called a sleeve gastrectomy. It removes the greater curvature (a portion there of) which is where the hormones that trigger hunger are and leaves the portion of the stomach where the hormone grelin which signals to the brain satiety. With the volume reduction and activity of unopposed grelin working in combination weight is lost.
Bands only provide mechanical restriction and as such eating slow or often enough you can “eat through” a band.
Modern bariatric surgery has substantial risk of life long disability or death in the 1-2% range
The new endocrine drugs — ozempic and monjauro block hormones of hunger and recent studies show monjauro as superior to ozempic.
As such…the outlook for bariatric surgeons in my judgment is quite bearish. One injection a week for a year that seems to have sustainability as there is pretty impressive behavioral modification (terzeptide seems to also quell other cravings such as alcohol) appears to be a silver bullet at this point.
Interesting times. There may be a pharmacological cure for refractory obesity and possibly addiction.
Even though it doesn’t apply to me (at least at this stage of my journey) or anyone in my immediate family (tho’ we lost a cousin basically from obesity way too early :-(
...),
...that’s the most useful post on this thread!