"Lap-Band" Adjustable Gastric Band Review

 

The Lap Band System is an FDA-approved, adjustable gastric band which is surgically inserted into the body. An adjustable gastric band is - simply - a silicone belt attached to the upper portion of the stomach, which creates a small sack where only a small amount of food can be stored. Having severely limited your stomach capacity, you will be eating and filling up on far smaller portions than you were before - which translates to weight loss.
The Lap Band itself is a silicone ring filled with saline, which will connect to a port which is placed in the muscular lining of your abdomen. This is where the adjustability comes in - your doctor accesses the port with a syringe to inflate or deflate the band. Injecting more saline into the port inflates the band, tightening it up and making the small sack smaller - which further restricts food intake and accelerates weight loss. Saline can also be removed through the port - loosening up the band and expanding your stomach's capacity to hold food.

The baseline requirement for Lap-Band surgery - the same as for any weight loss surgery - is a BMI of 40 or above. Lap Band surgery can be approved for persons with a BMI between 35 and 39, but only if they suffer associated severe medical conditions - i.e. diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol. Surgery of course requires admission to the hospital, and anesthesia. The surgery is laparoscopic - which is a minimally invasive procedure where your surgeon performs a series of small incisions and uses a small camera (laparoscope) to guide placement of the band onto the top of your stomach, and secure it in place with sutures. The Lap Band port is then inserted into the muscular lining of your abdomen. The surgery generally takes about an hour, and an overnight in the hospital will be dependent on your medical condition.

Post-surgery you need a good week of recovery before attempting to return to your life. You'll also be instructed to follow a nutrition plan prescribed by your doctor. The nutrition plans generally start with a liquid diet for the first few weeks, until such time as you're able to tolerate soft foods - and ultimately solid foods. An exercise program and behavioral modification therapy are also prescribed. You'll be making frequent visits to your doctor's office - on average, patients require six to eight adjustments of the band during the first 18 months after their surgeries, and the adjustments must be made by your doctor or his assistant. Statistics indicate that patients typically lose 50% to 60% of excess body weight within two years of the surgery, but note that additional plastic surgery may be necessary, depending on how much weight is lost.

Sound intriguing? Consider the risks. There are standard risks with any surgery - including reaction to anesthesia, bleeding and infection. In about 5% of cases in the U.S. laparoscopic surgery is not possible due to certain circumstances, so full-on cut you open surgery is required. If your surgery is successful you still may suffer slippage of the band (this can occur as weight is lost and the stomach slips above the band, causing heartburn or vomiting, and can usually be fixed with the laparoscope - which means back to the hospital.) If the band is too tight you may not be able to keep food down, and will vomit after every meal. It's possible that the band could erode into the inside of your stomach, it's possible that it could spontaneously deflate because of a leak, it's possible for your adjustability port to flip over, and so on....

The cost of this surgery varies - depending on location - from about $17,000 to $30,000. It may be covered by insurance, depending upon the insurer and how good a case your doctor makes for the surgery's medical necessity. Note that most insurance companies will require a history of previous - serious - attempts at weight loss.

After all that, you still must take into account the lifestyle changes which are absolutely necessary for your life going forward. The Lap Band is not meant to be in you for life - at some point it will need to be removed and you will be on your own to maintain your weight with a normal sized stomach. This is a very serious, life-altering business. If you qualify and feel the risk is worth the reward, you must do exhaustive research into the most professional, trusted and qualified medical personnel available in your area.