Dr. Stewart and the Weight Loss Specialists of North Texas are proud to offer the ever popular LAP-BAND procedure. The most minimally invasive of all of our procedures, the LAP-BAND does not require large incisions or changes to the digestive system, which makes for less recovery time and a shorter hospital stay. Call or email today to see if the LAP-BAND is right for you.
The LAP-BAND® System has replaced vertical banded gastroplasty as the restrictive procedure of choice. An adjustable plastic band known as a LAP-BAND is placed via laparoscopic surgery around the top of the stomach to restrict the amount of food that can enter the stomach at any one time. The restriction causes patients to feel full shortly after eating. This rapid sensation of fullness is called early satiety.
LAP-BAND bariatric procedures have been safely performed in Europe for a number of years with a great deal of success. The popularity of LAP-BAND procedures has risen in the
US during recent years because it is a minimally invasive technique with a low-risk profile. Gastric BandPatients who have a LAP-BAND tend to lose weight more gradually than do patients who have had the gastric bypass procedures described on this site. Weight loss in LAP-BAND patients appears to be more dependent on good education and follow-up.
Advantages of LAP-BAND weight loss surgery
- Laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery.
- Small incisions result in less scarring, discomfort, and reduced infection risk.
- Shorter hospital stay – many patients leave the same day.
- No cutting, staples, or changes to digestive system anatomy as with gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, or duodenal switch.
- Minimal recovery time – patients resume normal activity in about one week.
Risks and side effects of LAP-BAND weight loss surgery
- Fewer post operative complications than more invasive bariatric procedures.
- No dumping syndrome.
- Less risk of nutritional deficiencies. Apart from a multivitamin, no nutritional supplements are required after a regular diet is resumed.
- As with any abdominal surgery there is a low risk of infection (1-2%), gastric perforation (<1%), Pneumonia (2%), Blood clots (1%), pulmonary embolism (2%), and possibly
death (0.05%). - Complications related to the band itself may occur and range from mild to severe. The advantage of the gastric band is that it can be removed if necessary to alleviate severe
symptoms. Issues related to the band may include: port or tube issues (5%), band slippage (3-5%), and band erosion (1%).
LAP-BAND is adjustable and reversible
- Inflating or deflating the band personalizes the rate of weight loss to achieve a steady rate.
- Adjustment is a simple office procedure.
- Adjustability allows for increased nutritional requirements during pregnancy.
- If necessary, the band can be removed and stomach anatomy will return to normal.