Lap band surgery is a consideration for someone trying to lose weight, when diet and exercise are not decreasing pounds. To be considered for the procedure, a person's body mass index should be 40 or more or 35 or higher in junction with a serious medical condition, which may improve if weight loss occurred, reports MedlinePlus. The surgery requires a small incision into the abdomen to feed a laparoscope through and is only considered mildly invasive. The stomach is divided into two pouches using a band filled with saline. According to MayoClinic.com, the surgery is gaining popularity because it causes steady weight loss and the band is adjustable after surgery.
After the Surgery
The surgery takes about an hour to complete, and most patients return home the day of surgery. According to MedlinePlus, most patients return to work and other day-to-day activities in about two days. The lap band is adjustable and can be made looser or tighter after the surgery; the band is filled with saline solution that can be increased or removed using a syringe. The band may require adjustments if vomiting occurs frequently, a person has trouble eating or if there is only minimal weight loss.
Weight Loss
Weight loss may continue up to three years after the surgery. Lap band surgery does not decrease weight as much as gastric bypass surgery, reports MedlinePlus. The Cleveland Clinic states a person can expect to lose up to 1/3 of his weight after the procedure. Still, diet and exercise must continue after the procedure for optimal weight loss results.
Side Effects and Complications
All surgical procedures place a person at risk for blood clots, heart attack and stroke. A person is placed under general anesthesia for the procedure causing them to be unconscious and pain free. Complications associated with the anesthesia include allergic reactions and respiratory distress. Specific complications associated with the lap band procedure include perforation of the stomach or other internal organs, increase in severe nausea and vomiting and formation of scars in the stomach leading to future bowel blockage. A person is at increased risk of future stomach inflammations known as gastritis or gastric ulcers from occurring.
Member Comments