Laparoscopic surgery for severe obesity

Laparoscopic bariatric operations including vertical banded gastroplasty, gastric banding, and gastric bypass are relatively new, minimally invasive approaches to standard bariatric operations. Early experience with these procedures suggests that they are technically feasible, safe, and yield significant improvement in peri-operative morbidity and recovery compared with expected results of open procedures. Weight loss results are comparable to open operations. They are, however, technically challenging procedures that require advanced training.