Physical Qualifications
In order to qualify for LAP-Band surgery, the patient must be it least 100 pounds or more overweight. If his body mass index is less than 40, he must also meet other health criteria requirements, such as high blood pressure, high levels of cholesterol, overactive thyroid and diabetes. It's important to consider that an individual cannot base their qualification for surgery off of their BMI alone. BMI is a calculation that will have to be made in correlation with your physician. For those with a large bone structure or those who have a large amount of muscle mass, their BMI could be high--this does not mean they would any way qualify for Lap-Band or any other type of gastric surgery. Another criteria that most physicians require is that the patient has attempted other avenues to lose weight and failed. This could be through prescribed diet pills and multiple exercise attempts. The added criteria make sure the patient is making a healthy decision and that their insurance company will cover costs if the surgery is related to a medical health condition.
Procedure
The LAP-Band is an adjustable silicone gastric banding system that assists overweight patients with losing weight by controlling the amount of food intake. The surgery involves a qualified physician making an incision in the abdomen via a laparoscopy. This is a small surgical technique that is minimally invasive. The surgeon locates the upper area of the stomach through the laparoscope that contains a tiny camera on the end. The surgeon then places the gastric banding device around the stomach area. The device is constricted and clamped tightly to block off a large amount of food and fluid intake. The result is a slower, more manageable food intake process that results in eating less and eventually losing weight. The LAP-Band system is connected to a saline filled tube and port which allows the surgeon to adjust the device as needed. The entire surgery generally only takes around an hour to complete.
Results
After the surgery, it is important to follow the surgeon's advice for a proper recovery. The patient should be able to return home the day of or the day after the surgery. Heavy lifting and over-exertion is prohibited during the first week. For the first couple of weeks, a liquid diet will generally be recommended. This will allow the LAP-Band to settle in place and give the patient time to get used to the device. A vitamin supplement is highly recommended for the first three months or until the patient can begin to eat solid foods again. The surgeon will want the patient to exercise daily to help tone muscles and encourage weight loss. The patient may also need to visit the surgeon to have their LAP-Band adjusted via the port. This is typically because the patient is either not eating enough or eating too much.
There are risks of infection during and after the LAP-Band surgery. Slippage of the band, blockage, enlarged stomach pouch, saline leakage, internal bleeding and gastrointestinal problems are possible complications that could occur from this type of surgery.
Importantly, most patients lose up to 60 percent of their body weight in the first two years following surgery.
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