How are lap band and gastric bypass surgery different?

Malabsorption: The lap band is a device placed to make the stomach seem smaller thus allowing you to eat less and feel satisfied. With the bypass, a surgeon creates a smaller stomach by cutting which has a similar effect. Additionally, the intestines are cut and rerouted so that the upper segment is "bypassed". This decreases the absorption of food which leads to faster and relatively easier weight loss.

Bypass and band: Two very different operations. Lap band is the safest and is reversible which attracts a lot of patients. On the other hand, failure rates are high, it is easy to cheat, weight loss is slower. Bypass is the gold standard, been around for 50yrs, results in the greatest weight loss, highest cure rates for diabetes, hypertension, etc, but has a higher risk. There's a lot more but not enough room here.