Other Resources
Lap Band Surgery
- Simplest of the bariatric surgeries doesn't interfere with normal digestion
- Reduces stomach size and reroutes the digestive system to minimize calorie absorption
- Adjustable and reversible
How it Works
- Limits the amount of food a person can eat to about half a cup at one time
- Silicone band is wrapped around the upper part of the stomach, dividing the organ and squeezing it into an hourglass shape
- By adding fluid to the band, the surgeon adjusts the opening size between the smaller upper pouch and the remaining lower portion of the stomach
- Band adjustments are customized for each patient and performed in the physician's office in the months following surgery
- Because food lingers in the small, upper part of the stomach, digestion occurs slowly; patients feel full faster, stay satisfied longer and experience gradual weight loss as a result
Results
- Most patients lose 10-15% of their body weight within two years after surgery
