Gastric bypass surgery is more effective and associated with fewer complications than gastric banding, also known as the lap band procedure. That's according to a new study released Monday afternoon.

Doctors in Switzerland studied 442 patients: half received gastric bypass surgery, half underwent gastric banding. Six years later, those who opted for gastric bypass experienced more rapid and more sustained weight loss than those who had the lap band procedure.

Gastric banding was also associated with more additional corrective surgeries.

“Lap band slippage is a known problem. It's not frequent at all in our practice; it's less than five percent of our patients and that's a number you would see at most large bariatric centers,” said Dr. William O’Malley of Highland Hospital. “It's not something that's going to happen to most people, but it is a potential complication that you wouldn't see in the gastric bypass.”

Gastric bypass surgery does have a higher death than the lapband early on in the process.

O’Malley performed 522 gastric bypass procedures and 67 gastric band procedures in 2011.