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Home > Weight Loss > About the LAP-BAND

About the LAP-BAND

Adjustable Laparoscopic Gastric Banding or Lap Band was first introduced in 1993. It became FDA approved in the United States in 2001. It is now the most commonly performed weight loss procedure in the world.

Lap Banding involves placing a small ring or band around the top of the stomach. This is done with a laparoscope through small incisions. The band is attached to a catheter which leads to a port. The port is sewn to the muscle wall and is below the skin.

Inside the band is a soft balloon. By injecting saline (salt water) into the port, the balloon will inflate. This creates a small “stomach pouch” above the band. As the band is filled, you will feel full after eating only a small amount of food. You should not be hungry in between meals, but you should not be so tight that you vomit. If you do have vomiting, you should report it to Dr. Ray. Most of the time there is a simple solution.

Lap bands are usually performed either as an outpatient or with an overnight stay. The operation usually takes between 45 minutes to an hour. Most people are back to their activities within a week. These are, of course, averages. Everyone recovers at a slightly different rate. If you need more time to recover, we will make sure you have it.

LAP BAND

There are some important similarities and differences between Lap Banding and other types of weight loss surgery; for example, gastric bypass. In terms of the amount of weight that you lose, there is very little if any difference. Most people will lose between one half to two thirds of their excess body weight (not their total body weight). This is true for both the Lap Band and the gastric bypass. One important difference however, is how quickly you get there. Gastric bypass patients tend to lose very quickly while Lap Band patients tend to lose more gradually. Therefore, if you compare Lap Band to gastric bypass at 6, 12 or even 18 months after surgery, it will look like the gastric bypass patients are losing more. However, gastric bypass patients tend to regain about 20% of their weight. Therefore by three to five years, the overall weight loss is the same.

While it may be tempting to lose weight quickly, there are disadvantages from losing weight too fast. Examples are excessive vomiting, dumping syndrome which is a type of diarrhea common after gastric bypass, vitamin deficiencies, protein deficiency and overall nutritional difficulties.

The LAP-BAND Adjustable Gastric Banding System is a simple yet advanced gastric banding system that helps you gradually lose and control your weight by reducing the amount of food that your stomach can hold at one time.

The name “LAP-BAND” comes from the minimally invasive surgical technique used (laparoscopy) and the silicone gastric band placed around the top of the upper part of your stomach. The LAP-BAND System works by helping you control your food intake and supporting long term, sustainable weight loss.

The LAP-BAND System Advantages at a Glance

See exactly how and why the LAP-BAND System is so effective at supporting your weight loss journey.

1. Minimally Invasive Surgery
   • Minimally invasive surgical approach
   • No intestinal re-routing, cutting or stapling of the stomach wall or bowel as with gastric bypass
   • Often performed on an out-patient basis
   • Small incisions and minimal scarring
   • Reduced post-surgical pain, shorter hospital stay and recovery time
   • Return to work/normal activities typically within a week
2. Fewer Risks and Side Effects
   • Ten times lower short-term mortality rate than gastric bypass
   • Low risk of post-surgical nutritional deficiencies associated with gastric bypass
   • Reduced risk of hair loss
   • No “dumping syndrome” (food passes through the system too fast resulting in severe cramping/digestive disruption) related to dietary intake restrictions
3. Adjustable
   • Allows for personalized steady, healthy rate of weight loss
   • No additional surgery for adjustments
   • Supports pregnancy by allowing for increased nutritional needs
   • Surgical weight loss option specifically designed for long term weight maintenance
4. Effective Long Term Weight Loss
   • More than 350,000 LAP-BAND System devices distributed worldwide
   • Over ten years of published follow-up
   • Sets the “gold standard” of care for obesity treatment for hundreds of surgeons world-wide
5. Reversible
   • While it is intended to be a long-term treatment, the LAP-BAND System can be removed at any time, in some cases laparoscopically
   • Stomach and other anatomy typically return to their original state/functions

References:

Executive Summary: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding for the treatment of obesity (Update and Re-appraisal). The Australian Safety and Efficacy Register of new Interventional Procedures – Surgical (ASERNIPS) 2002; (Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery like the Lap-Band surgery, is associated with a mean short-term mortality rate of around 0.05% compared to 0.50% for Gastric Bypass and 0.31% for Vertical Banded Gastroplasty.)