Lap band system

Laparoscopic gastric banding commonly referred to as lap-band surgery involves placing a band around the upper part of stomach. The band essentially separates the stomach into two parts: a tiny upper pouch and a larger lower pouch. The band slows the passage of food from the pouch to the lower part of stomach. By doing so, signals to the brain from the gut allow for a sensation of fullness and satiety with the consumption of less food. The size of the opening is reduced gradually over time with repeated adjustments.

Procedure

This procedure is most commonly done using the laparoscopic minimally invasive procedure. During the surgery, an adjustable gastric band is placed around the upper part of the stomach through three small incisions. This will create a small pouch which will serve as a new, smaller stomach. This restricts the amount of food patient can consume, causing them to eat less and lose weight. Eating just a small amount of food will satisfy the hunger and will promote the feeling of fullness. The band is connected to a port that is placed under the skin of the abdomen. The port is used to introduce or remove saline into the band. The size of the stomach opening can be adjusted by filling the band with sterile saline. The band is tightened over time to reduce the size of stomach.

Weight loss with gastric band is slow. It is recommended when other form of treatment such as diet, exercise and medications have failed. After surgery, it is important to follow a strict liquid diet for few days. Most people can resume most normal activities in two days.

Risks

• Reaction to anesthesia
• Mechanical problems like a band slippage or band erosion into the stomach.
• There are chances of injury to the stomach during surgery
• Weight loss is slow with gastric banding than other surgical procedures.

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