Minimizer Ring

The Minimizer Ring is a weight loss procedure designed to reduce or prevent stretch that can occur over time with gastric bypass pouch.

Dr Balalis, recently spent a month in Europe exploring robotic surgery and new techniques and devices. He visited a leading weight-loss centre in Europe, that places the largest number of Minimizer Rings in the world – over 700 a year.Every gastric bypass operation had a Minimizer Ring placed and the weight-loss results, including the weight regain data demonstrated a difference compared to results prior to ring placement.

This is confirmed with multi-centre cohort studies, which showed improved weight-loss results following placement of a ring, compared to no ring, in patients undergoing revision gastric bypass (another 7% total body weight loss).

Dr Balalis is a weight loss surgeon, who performs bariatric surgeries including; gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and revision weight loss surgery.  He also provides as an option the Minimizer Ring to patients undergoing primary and revision gastric bypass, as there are benefits for some patients.

Benefits of the Minimizer Ring:

• Reduces and prevents possible long-term weight regain
• Results in greater weight loss at 2 years post-surgery

The Minimizer Ring is inserted during your operation and is loosely placed around your pouch. It is very different to a laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (‘lap bands’) and is not tight at all. Dr Balalis does not place lap bands, as they are not effective for weight loss and cause symptoms for patients. However he does believe that the Minimizer Ring is a tool to assist in preventing weight regain.

Complications of the Minimizer Ring:

• Requiring removal due to symptoms
• Complications of ring itself (rare)
  • Internal hernia
  • Erosion

Dr George Balalis is a bariatric surgeon with advanced skills in laparoscopic primary and revision weight loss surgeries, he is also an upper GI and General Surgeon known for complex hiatus hernia repairs and reflux surgery.

Dr George Balalis is a formally trained weight loss surgeon and has trained previously with interstate and overseas leaders in this field (including in Brisbane, Melbourne, The United Kingdom and the Netherlands). He continues to offer his patients leading, clinically proven surgeries, techniques and devices that are also safe.

Dr Balalis is happy to discuss any details regarding the Minimizer Ring including risks and benefits, and is excited to be offering this treatment for gastric bypass patients in Adelaide, South Australia as a way to minimise weight regain.

Please contact our team to book a consultation with Dr Balalis. If you would like to read more about Dr Balalis and his qualifications, please click here.