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What is LAP-BAND® Surgery?
LAP-BAND® surgery (laparoscopic band surgery), FDA-approved in 2001, has proven outcomes for both excessive weight loss and improvement of obesity-related diseases. Nationally, patients typically lose 50 percent of their excess body weight.
Like gastric bypass surgery, most laparoscopic band surgery is minimally invasive. Surgery time is approximately one hour (times vary depending on the health of the patient and specifics of their procedure) and is performed under general anesthesia.
During laparoscopic band surgery, the surgeon places an adjustable, saline-filled silicone band around the upper part of the stomach to create a smaller pouch, which can be inflated and deflated during routine office visits.
As a result, patients eat less because they feel full quicker.
Patients are monitored on a monthly basis for the first year so the band can be adjusted, if necessary. The initial band adjustment is at six weeks post-surgery. If you're too hungry (food intake is too much), the band is inflated (saline fluid is added to the band), which makes the stomach smaller. If you're not hungry enough (not able to eat enough food), the band is deflated (saline fluid is removed from the band), which makes the stomach larger.
To inflate or deflate the band, the surgeon injects or removes saline from the band through an access port underneath the skin of the abdomen, which is put in place during surgery. The band can be adjusted at each follow-up appointment, ensuring appropriate weight loss.
What are the Exclusions for LAP-BAND Surgery?
Certain conditions can exclude you from being a candidate for laparoscopic band surgery, including:
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Severe cirrhosis of the liver
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Smoking (patient must be tobacco-free for one month prior to surgery)
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Mental condition causing non-compliance
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Untreated psychological disorders
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Current alcohol or substance abuse
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Lupus/Crohn's disease (connective tissue diseases)
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Previous hiatal hernia repair
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Large hiatal hernia
Because there are no ill side effects (such as dumping syndrome) from eating certain foods, laparoscopic band surgery patients must be more motivated to stick to a strict diet.
For additional information about laparoscopic band surgery or to request an appointment with a surgeon at the Bariatric Center of the Rockies, please contact our bariatric patient navigator at 866.495.7579.
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