| Roux-en-Y gastric bypass | Gastric sleeve | Gastric balloon | |
| How high must my BMI be? | >40 or >35 with a disease related to obesity* or >30 with certain diseases related to obesity¶ | ||
| How quickly will I lose weight? | Usually quickly | Less quickly | Gradually |
| Can it be done through a scope? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Will my intestines be re-routed? | Yes | No | No |
| Will a device stay in my body? | No | No | Yes, for 6 months |
| Will I be able to return to my normal activities after surgery? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| How often will I have follow-up visits? | Every 3 to 4 months in the first year, then annually | Every 3 to 4 months in the first year, then annually | Every 2 months for 6 months, then as needed |
| Will I need regular follow-up with a nutritionist? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| About what percentage of my extra weight can I expect to lose after 1 year? | 60 to 75 | 60 to 65 | 20 to 30 |
| About what percentage of my extra weight can I expect to lose after 2 to 3 years? | 50 to 75 | 66 | Unknown |
| Should I expect my other medical problems to improve?* | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Will I have trouble absorbing nutrients and medicines? | Some | Minimal if any | Occasionally |
| Will it be possible to adjust the size of my stomach or how much I can eat? | No | No | No |
| What are the chances I will need more surgery? | Lower | Unknown | Unknown |
| Will it affect my heartburn symptoms? | Will most likely help symptoms | May make symptoms worse | May make symptoms worse while the balloon is in |
| Other concerns | Patients may develop dumping syndromeΔ | Long-term outcomes are unknown | Only meant to stay in for 6 months; long-term outcomes are unknown |
