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How Much does Gastric Band Surgery Cost?
What is a Gastric Band?
The gastric band also known as a lap band, is an inflatable device made of silicone that is placed around the higher portion of the stomach in order to help treat obesity. Gastric band treatment can help aide weight loss if you are very overweight (also known as "morbidly obese") which is is determined through a very simple BMI (Body Mass Index) calculation.
The gastric band itself is an inflatable circular tube which a surgeon user to create a smaller pouch at the top of the stomach which can typically hold around 4-8 ounces of food in each meal. This is inflated and deflated as necessary using a small access port placed just under the patients' skin.
This fills up quickly as it takes longer for the food to move from this pouch to the lower part of the stomach. Essentially this helps to manage the patient's weight by restricting the amount of food they can physically consume.
Gastric banding is becoming an increasingly popular means of treating obesity, and is one of the most popular forms of Bariatric surgery in the UK. This is due to a number of benefits such as it's quick recovery time and the adjustable nature of the procedure, as well as the fact that it can be removed should there be complications. The overall safety of the procedure in comparison to other forms of Bariatric surgery also makes it one of the most popular forms of weight loss surgery.
Gastric Band Pricing in the UK
In the UK, the average cost of gastric band surgery is between £7,000 and £8,000 however certain clinics and private medical firms do offer 'deals' and offers to entice people in. Although this figure is the average for such surgery, there are some UK companies that offer a more affordable service, with the cheapest gastric banding costing an average of £4,895. Numerous hospitals also offer payment plans, whereby assuming one qualifies; a customer can pay for their surgery in monthly instalments.
Finance Options for Gastric Banding Surgery
Many clinics, private practises and even third party companies now offer a variety of finance options to help prospective Gastric Band patients undergo this weight loss treatment. A wide variety of clinics based across the UK offer 0% interest loans, 'buy now pay later' schemes and bespoke cosmetic monthly payment plans to help patients fund their surgery.
It is advised however that, as with any form of financing agreement, patients discuss the options with a financial advisor prior to committing to any scheme or payment plan. Many clinics will require a credit check prior to agreeing on funding a procedure however even if patients have a poor credit rating it still may be possible to apply for loans from third party lenders albeit at a higher interest rate.
Getting a Lap Band on the NHS
It will be advised that a Gastric Band only be considered as a final option for a patient looking to loose a considerable amount of weight after having tried a variety of other methods of weight loss (diet, exercise etc.).
Gastric band surgery will be made available to you through the NHS if you meet the following criteria:
- You have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of over 40.
- You have a BMI of 30-40 and have an additional medical condition which may be improved through weight loss, such as diabetes.
However this may prove to be an unattractive option to many patients however as waiting lists can stretch to anywhere between 2 and 3 years.
Gastric Band Pricing Abroad
With the UK average cost of the gastric band procedure so high, it is little surprise that many people are choosing to travel abroad for surgery.
Countries such as Spain, Brussels, Mexico and even India offer the cost of gastric bands are exceptionally low prices in comparison to that in the UK, with surgery costing as little as £3,400 in some countries.
Now as if paying considerably less is not appealing enough, people are often lured in at the idea of having a holiday at the same time. With "medical tourism" packages that include things such as; '2 night stay in Marbella plus 5 star luxury hospital' readily available, it isn't too difficult to see why more and more people are going abroad for their gastric band operation.
But as well as this glitzy idea of surgery, sun sea and sand, there comes the risk of what might happen if things were to go wrong in either the surgery itself or whilst recovering. The cost could well then increase significantly as a result of follow up treatments or additional medication, and the trip could end up costing more than what was saved in the first place.
It is therefore advised that prospective patients who are considering medical tourism thoroughly do their research beforehand on the clinic and surgeon who will be potentially performing the procedure. It is also advised that patients find out what after care is included in the initial cost and whether their travel insurance policy will cover the cost of any complications that might be encountered whilst abroad.
It is also recommended that prospective travellers take in to account the various other costs that are likely to be incurred when receiving treatment abroad such as flights, accommodation and transport before making the decision to undergo cosmetic surgery in another country.