Types of Weight Loss Surgery: Examining the Possibilities — Gastric Lap Band
Although surgery for weight loss should be a last resort — after diet, exercise, and chemical and hormonal adjustments have been deemed unsuccessful by a licensed medical professional — it’s important to know what the different options are so you can make an informed decision. In a three-part series, we’ll examine some of the most common weight loss surgeries used today.
GASTRIC LAP BAND
What is gastric lap band surgery and who can perform it? The gastric lap band, short for gastric laparoscopic band, is a silicon or plastic band placed around the top part of the stomach to make it smaller so it can’t contain as much food. As a result, you can’t eat as much at once and it takes longer to digest.
“Laparoscopic” means that the procedure is performed through only small incisions, with the use of a laparascope, which is a thin lighted tube that uses a camera to guide the physician. The alternative would be actually opening up the patient to get to the stomach, so this is a considerably less invasive procedure. But because this is still a surgical procedure, it should be performed only by a licensed physician. Lap band surgery falls into the category of “restrictive” surgery because it physically limits food consumption.
Are there different types of gastric lap bands? Yes. The adjustable gastric lap band uses a silicone band that can be tightened or loosened by inflating or deflating a hollow tube in the band with saline through an access port implanted in the chest. The FDA approved the adjustable gastric banding system in 2001, and the approval details contain an illustration of the system.
An older and increasingly less popular version of lap band surgery is a nonadjustable band made of plastic, a procedure called vertical banded gastroplasty. In additionl to placing a band around the stomach, the surgeon also staples the stomach above the band into a small pouch to restrict food intake.
Who is a good candidate for gastric lap band surgery? Typical criteria include being severely obese (ie, a BMI of 40) or being at least 100 pounds overweight, age 18-55, no success with nonsurgical weight loss techniques such as diet and exercise or medication, and low surgical risk. Depending on the surgeon, older and younger people may be eligible for the procedure. I’ve written previously about a 13-year-old who underwent the lap band procedure.
What are the benefits of gastric lap band surgery? Because the gastric lap band procedure is minimally invasive, it carries a relatively short recovery period and relatively few complications compared with traditional surgical procedures that involve opening up the patient. It’s also reversable (and adjustable, if you get the more popular version). It has no impact on how the body absorbs nutrients.
The gastric lap band procedure is typically very effective, and enforces healthy eating habits, which increases the likelihood of long-term weight maintenance even if the patient elects to remove the band (assuming it’s been in place a while and good habits are solidified, that is). Users have reported (and clinical trials have verified) decreased levels of depression and improved sleep quality compared with controls and patients undergoing other weight interventions.
What are the risks of gastric lap band surgery? Following the gastric lap band procedure, patients can experience nausea and vomiting, acid reflux, constipation, diarrhea, and a host of other gastrointestinal effects. Some may resolve once the body gets used to the device, but they can be long-lasting or chronic. Most physicians will order a bland diet of soft foods for at least the period immediately after the surgery to allow the body — and the patient — time to adjust. After the band is put in place and weight loss begins, patients may have excess skin as a result of lower body weight.
As with any procedure that requires anesthesia, there are serious risks to gastric lap band surgery. Aside from the anesthesia, risks include:
- Abdominal pain after the surgery
- Infection or pain at the site of the adjustment port
- Slippage of the band
- Various mechanical malfunctions
- Scarring at incisions sites
Only by talking with your doctor can you determine the full range of risks and side effects.
Sources
- Columbia University Medical Center’s Center for Obesity Surgery: LAP-BAND
- Wikipedia - Adjustable gastric band
- Gastric Banding Surgery for Weight Loss
- Is Weight Loss Surgery the Easy Way to Lose Weight?
- LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB®) System - P000008
YOUR TURN
Have you undergone gastric lap band surgery, or do you know someone who has? Tell your gastric lap band story in the comments. Please use good common sense in regard to naming doctors or facilities — the Internet is not anonymous, even though your comment may be.
(image: Newscom)
Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King
Tags: womens health blog, womens health, women, woman, health, weight loss surgery, plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery, gastric lap band, lap band, laparascopic, what is gastric lap band, who can perform gastric lap band, who should get gastric lap band, what are the benefits of gastric lap band, what are the risks of gastric lap band, gastric lap band success stories, gastric lap band horror stories, lively women, kristen king
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Weight Loss
.gif)
1 opinion for Types of Weight Loss Surgery: Examining the Possibilities — Gastric Lap Band
Types of Weight Loss Surgery: Examining the Possibilities — Gastric Bypass
Jun 1, 2008 at 6:59 pm
[…] can be performed using a traditional, "open" surgical approach or, preferably, using laparascopic surgical techniques, which are considerably less invasive because they require only small incisions […]
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: