When a surgical procedure is the right answer

Many people spend their entire lives battling extra pounds. They have probably tried all sorts of things to lose weight. Diets, exercise, low-calorie days, you name it – it does helps, but the weight usually does not stay off for long. Sometimes, a surgical procedure is the only way to break this vicious circle. It is important to choose the type of weight loss surgery that is most suitable for you. After all, it is a decision that will impact the rest of your life.

Weight gain remains a problem

The surgical procedures we will discuss here involve a (mini) gastric bypass and a sleeve gastrectomy. What they have in common is that they limit your food intake and alter your digestion. Because you are no longer able to eat as much, you will need to ask yourself a few questions throughout the day: Am I getting enough nutrients? How should I spread my meals across the day? Will my food intake gradually creep up without me noticing? The key to success is managing your eating and exercise habits – particularly in the long term.

During the first year after the surgical procedure, 80% of weight loss is due to the surgery itself, and 20% results from changed eating habits and lifestyle.
After about one year, only 20% of weight loss is due to the surgical procedure, and
80% results from the changes you have made to your lifestyle.

It is clear that the surgical procedure alone is not enough. Changing your behaviour, and above all maintaining those changes, is essential to keeping your new, lower weight.

The MiniMIZER Ring helps you prevent your old weight creeping back up. The ring enables you to maintain your new eating habits better and for longer.

What is a MiniMIZER RING?

The MiniMIZER RING is a thin ring of medical silicone that is positioned around the stomach during bariatric surgery. For this reason, we call surgical procedures that include the placement of a MiniMIZER RING ‘Ring augmented’ (mini) gastric bypass or ‘Ring augmented’ gastric sleeve procedures.

You may have heard the term ‘banded‘ before. These days, heathcare professionals prefer to use the name ‘Ring augmented‘. This change isn’t just about words – it’s about being clearer and more accurate in describing the procedure.

In ‘Ring augmented’ Bariatric and Metabolic surgery, a small, non-adjustable ring is placed around the new, smaller stomach. The MiniMIZER RING assists to maintain weight loss in the long term by slowing down the passage of food and therefore giving you earlier satiety. The word ‘banded‘ used to describe this step, but it often caused confusion with the adjustable gastric band procedure, which works very differently.

Discover the differences here

By saying ‘Ring augmented‘, we highlight that the ring is an addition to the Bariatric and Metabolic procedure – not a separate or stand-alone technique. It makes the procedure more durable.

In short: the procedure hasn’t changed, but the name has, this to make it clearer, and to avoid confusion.

After bariatric surgery, the MiniMIZER RING has the following effects:
• 20% – 50% more weight loss 3 and 5 years after the procedure
• Considerably less long-term weight gain
• The MiniMIZER RING also ensures that further weight gain is prevented, and weight
loss becomes possible again when used in revision surgeries.