| If you are from the UK or Ireland and are looking for | | | | purposes out of 175 countries, not least because |
| an affordable option for lap band surgery, Belgium | | | | secondary infection rates average less than 0.5% |
| could prove to be a very safe and satisying choice. | | | | compared with around 10% in the UK. |
| | | | The high level of Belgium's surgical expertise comes |
| What is laparoscopic gastric band surgery?The | | | | from many years of training imparted to its doctors: all |
| laparoscopic gastric band surgery or lap band, in short, | | | | doctors are trained for a minimum of seven years and |
| decreases the size of the stomach pouch. This makes | | | | specialists for 12 years. For instance, see a Belgian lap |
| people feel full after they have had just a small meal, | | | | band surgeon's resume here. |
| and thus helps in losing weight. | | | | Post-operative care: The success of lap band surgery |
| Why choose Belgium for lap band surgery? | | | | depends on not only the surgery itself but the kind of |
| Cost: While the procedure may cost between £ | | | | follow-up care you get. Many Belgium doctors have a |
| 9,000 - £ 12,000 in the UK, in Belgium the cost can | | | | follow-up network in neighboring countries like UK and |
| drop to £ 4,000. | | | | Ireland. Hence, do check if your doctor or hospital |
| Quality: Obesity surgery is carried out in many | | | | offers such a service. |
| countries in the world. However, there are few | | | | No queues: Forget the long waiting lines of NHS. In |
| countries with the same experience and success rate | | | | Belgium, you choose the date for the operation after all |
| as Belgium. Laparoscopy, in fact, is one of the | | | | initial screenings, and get yourself banded. |
| specialties of Belgian medical tourism. Gastric Band or | | | | Climate and language: The climate is similar to UK's. |
| Gastric Bypass is usually done by laparoscopy (unless | | | | The official languages spoken are Dutch, French, and |
| technically impossible) and this means a very short | | | | German, but many people speak English, too. |
| stay in hospital. | | | | So, as you can see, laparoscopic gastric band surgery |
| Also, in general, Belgium has always been known for | | | | in Belgium is one of the popular choices with medcal |
| its high hygiene standards and use of latest | | | | tourists from the UK not only because it is affordable |
| technology. In a recent study by The World Markets | | | | but also because it is very convenient. |
| Research Centre, Belgium ranked top for medical | | | | |