The Lap-Band system of bariatric, or weight-loss, surgery helps obese patients lose about 50 percent of their excess weight within the first year, according to the company's website. The procedure helps with weight loss by restricting the size of the stomach, but patients must also follow the surgeon's dietary instructions carefully or they will not meet their weight-loss goals. During the first eight weeks after surgery, especially, patients must progress slowly with their diets to allow their bodies to heal.
Lap-Band Surgery
To perform an adjustable gastric band procedure, the surgeon slips a silastic band around the upper portion of the stomach to restrict its size. In the United States, surgeons may choose between two brands -- the Lap-Band and the REALIZE band. Performed laparoscopically, using a tiny video camera and special instruments, the procedure is noninvasive. After the patient has healed, the surgeon can tighten the band by injecting sterile saline -- saltwater -- through a port near the skin to restrict the amount of food the stomach pouch can hold. If the band becomes too tight, some saline can be withdrawn to loosen it.
Diet Progression
Surgeons' guidelines vary, but generally all weight-loss surgery patients follow a progression diet after surgery to allow their bodies to heal before they begin to eat solid food. Most patients consume only clear liquids for the first 24 to 48 hours, followed by 10 to 14 days during which they may drink any sugar-free, caffeine-free liquid, according to Linda Aills, R.D., lead researcher in a study published in the September 2008 issue of "Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases." Patients then eat pureed foods for about 14 days, followed by soft foods for another 14 days.
Foods Allowed
Although some patients progress more quickly than others, the average patient is eating soft foods seven weeks after Lap-Band surgery, according to Aills. Permissible soft foods include sugar-free, caffeine-free, carbonation-free beverages and low-fat, high-quality proteins and grains. Appropriate dairy foods include skim milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese. Proteins include baby food meats, flaky fish and soft-boiled or scrambled eggs. Permissible grains include cream of wheat cereal and oatmeal.
Foods to Avoid
Patients must avoid liquids and soft foods that can prevent weight loss. These foods include sugary, high-calorie, low-nutrient choices such as ice cream, puddings, milkshakes, pie fillings, sweetened beverages, fruit juices and sodas. Soft foods high in fat, including macaroni and cheese, full-fat dairy products, cream soups and cream sauces, should also be avoided. Unless approved by the surgeon, patients may not eat solid foods at this stage.
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