Advantages of laparoscopic bariatric surgery:
- Shorter time in hospital (normally one night for a laparoscopic gastric banding
procedure and 3-4 nights for a laparoscopic gastric bypass)
- Less pain
- Less need for intensive care
- Shorter recovery time needed to return to normal activities
- Less wound infection rates
- Fewer incisional hernia
- Less scaring
No difference between laparoscopic and open surgery:
- Same weight loss
- No significant difference in leak rates following gastric bypass surgery
Disadvantages of laparoscopic surgery:
- Generally a longer operating time (although there is little difference between
open and laparoscopic gastric banding)
