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Gastric Banding or Lap Band® Surgery
Lap-Band® or gastric band surgery involves a silicone ring placed around the upper part of the stomach. The balloon inside the ring is then inflated to create a small pouch (approximately 20cc or 4 teaspoons). The balloon can be inflated to restrict the amount of food entering the stomach or deflated to correct for over-restriction. This makes you feel fuller sooner (early satiety) when eating regular high quality food. The band can be adjusted by injecting saline (salt water) into a port that is placed in the abdomen just under the skin to increase or decrease the restriction. The port is not visible but can be felt by firm pressure with the fingers.
Results: you can expect to lose 50-60% of excess body weight within three years.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gastric Lap Band® Surgery
What are some of Lap-Band® surgery results?
- Restricts Eating: During adjustable Lap-Band® surgery, a silicone ring is place around the stomach, and the balloon around the ring is inflated, giving the feeling of feeling fuller sooner.
- Decreases Calorie Intake: As long as you eat regular high quality food, this system will decrease the calories eaten at a meal. If you drink high caloric beverages like milkshakes or regular soda then you can eat enough calories to prevent weight loss. If you eat calorie dense food like chips and candy then you will prevent weight loss and can even continue to gain weight.
How much weight will I lose after Lap-Band® surgery?
- With good follow-up, patients can expect to lose 50-60% of their excess body weight within three years with an average weekly weight loss of 1-2 pounds.
- Patients will typically return to clinic for follow-up care and band adjustments 5-8 times a year the first year after surgery and then 2-4 times a year thereafter.
- For example, if you weighed 210 pounds above your ideal body weight, you could lose 105 pounds.
What are the health benefits of Lap-Band® surgery?
- Most individuals experience additional health benefits from Lap-Band® surgery. In 95% of patients the quality of life improved and obesity-related health conditions called "comorbidities" were resolved or improved. In addition mobility and energy are usually greatly improved.
- Bariatric surgery has also been shown to resolve or improve obesity-related health conditions (comorbidities), including:
- Type 2 Diabetes – 82%-98% resolved
- Hypertension – 62%-70% resolved
- Sleep Apnea (>90-95%% resolved)
- Hyperlipidemia (>75 % resolved)
- Migraines – 57% resolved
- Osteoarthritis/Degenerative joint disease – 44% resolved
How long is the hospital stay for Lap-Band® surgery?
- After Lap-Band® surgery, it is usually same day surgery or a minimal overnight stay at the hospital
What are the advantages of Lap-Band® surgery?
- The stomach and intestines remains intact.
- Early return to work without weight lift restrictions
- Although the band is intended to remain in place for life, this procedure is reversible.
- Eliminates the more serious complication of anastomotic leak.
Statistics source: American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery 2018