Lap Band Surgery Advantages

There are two main surgical treatments used for weight loss in morbidly obese individuals. The older procedure, which requires open abdominal surgery, is called a roux-en-y procedure, or gastric bypass. The newer and less invasive procedure is adjustable gastric banding, also known as lap band surgery. Lap band surgery has advantages over abdominal gastric bypass while delivering weight loss results similar to gastric bypass after 4 years, according to a Cochrane Review of Literature.

Fewer Complications

Lap band surgery is done laparoscopically, meaning the incisions required are tiny. Because lap band surgery doesn't require an abdominal incision, risks of infection at the incision site are much less than they are with gastric bypass. A smaller incision results in less scar tissue, or adhesions, being formed. Adhesions can cause pain after surgery. Blood loss is less during a lap band procedure, and because the incisions are so small, there's much less pain with lap band surgery than there is after a gastric bypass, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
Because no part of the intestines or stomach are cut or removed, lap band patients don't develop dumping syndrome, which can occur in gastric bypass, which requires dietary limitations such as restricting sugar and fats. Lap band patients also don't require vitamin supplementation, which gastric bypass patients do because they can lose essential nutrients due to their smaller absorption surface after surgery. Lap band surgery also has a lower overall mortality rate, approximately 0.1 percent when performed by skilled surgeons compared to 0.5 percent for gastric bypass, as reported by Henry Buchwald, M.D., at the 2004 American Society for Bariatric Surgery Consensus Conference.

Faster Recovery

Most patients have a much shorter recovery period after lap band surgery than after gastric bypass. Lap band surgery requires a short hospital stay, usually less than 3 days, while gastric bypass requires a hospital stay of 3 to 5 days. Return to work time after lap band surgery may be as little as a week, according to the Cleveland Clinic, with full recovery within a month, while full gastric bypass recovery takes 3 months, although some patients may return to work in 2 to 3 weeks.

Adjustability

The lap band is easily adjustable, unlike the traditional gastric bypass, which would require another surgery to adjust if too little or too much food was being absorbed. The lap band can also be removed if problems occur, while reversing gastric bypass requires more invasive surgery. Lap bands can also be adjusted so pregnant women can eat more during the pregnancy, and then filled again after delivery.

Other Advantages

People who have lap band surgery can generally eat a more varied diet after surgery compared to those who have gastric bypass. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are generally less frequent and troublesome after lap band surgery than after gastric bypass.