With a 59.8 BMI, is lap-band still an option?

I'm 39, 5' 10", 417 pounds but in excellent health (only borderline high cholesterol and knee arthritis). I've decided that WLS is the route I want to go, and I've been researching the different options quite a bit. My insurance will cover either gastric bypass or lap-band. I'm leaning more towards lap-band, but I've heard that it can be problematic for people with a high BMI. So, can anyone comment on getting a lap-band procedure with a high BMI? Are there higher failure rates? Other problems that need to be addressed? Also, are there any compelling reasons why gastric bypass might be a better option for someone with a high BMI? I don't have any critical medical need for extremely quick weight loss, so a slower loss via the lap-band is fine for my plan.

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