Bariatric surgery is a catchall phrase for several different types of weight loss procedures and surgeries. Here are the basics:

Lap banding — Laparoscopic gastric banding (LAGB) is a process through which a silicone band, much like a rubber band, is placed around the entrance to the stomach.

Vertical Banded Gastroplasty — This procedure is commonly known as stomach stapling or VBG. Surgical staples are used to section off a small portion of the upper part of the stomach. The other side of this pouch is fitted with a band that slows the amount of time it takes for food to leave this pouch, which results in feelings of fullness after eating small amounts of food.

Sleeve Gastrectomy — This type of procedure is generally performed on patients who have a body mass index over 50. It involves removing a portion of the stomach to create more of a sleeve rather than the pouch shape that the stomach has.

Gastric Bypass is a procedure results in dividing the stomach to create a small pouch that is directly attached to the small intestine. This pouch can only hold 1 ounce of food, though it may stretch in time to allow a person to eat about a cup of food at a time. 

Obesity and weight loss surgical procedures in the U.S. are extremely expensive, but individuals traveling to foreign destinations can save thousands of dollars in excellent, certified facilities such as the Antiobesity Center in Cancun (yes!) Mexico to CTG Healthcare Group in Izmir, Turkey. Help is out there if you know where to look for reliable resources and information, such as PlacidWay, a quickly growing medical tourism and resource data center located in Denver, Colorado.