Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band

The Lap-Band surgery has been available worldwide for nearly 20 years and is a safe and effective weight loss operation. It has gained in popularity over the past decade in the United States. It consists of implanting a small silastic inflatable band around the upper portion of the stomach. The band is inflated with saline to create a restriction, thus creating a small pouch. This pouch has the capacity of 4-5 ounces; therefore, after eating a small amount of food, one has a feeling of restriction and fullness. Weight loss in the first year following the surgery ranges between 30-45% of excess body weight and can increase to 50% during the second year. The surgery is performed through five small (1-2cm) incisions. People undergoing the surgery can usually go home the same day and occasional need to stay in the hospital one night. If you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine we often will have you stay one night in the hospital. Usually people can return to work within 1 week. If you have a more physical job involving lifting or climbing, then you may need 2-3 weeks to make a full recovery. We do our first adjustment 3 weeks following your surgery. After you start to feel restriction of your band, you can expect to lose 6-10 a month. While that does not seem like much, remember that over a years time that is 70-120 lbs! The band is meant to stay in long term. You can keep it as long as you like. The majority of those undergoing lap band surgery come to love their bands. People become very possessive of their band because it becomes the manner in which they control their food intake and therefore their appetite.

Major Benefits:

• Least invasive surgical option
• Often performed as an outpatient
• Allows individualized degree of restriction for ideal rate of weight-loss
• Adjustments performed without additional surgery
• Reversible at any time through removal of the band
• No intestinal re-routing, cutting or stapling of the stomach wall or bowel
• Small incisions and minimal scarring
• Reduced patient pain, length of hospital stay and recovery period
• Low risk of nutritional deficiencies associated with other surgeries like gastric bypass
• Supports pregnancy by allowing stomach outlet size to be opened to accommodate increased nutritional needs
• Stomach and other anatomy can be restored to their original forms and functions if desired
• Quick return to normal lifestyle and work
• A surgical option designed to help maintain long-term weight loss