Lap band surgery

How lap band surgery helps people lose weight

Laparoscopic adjustable banding, or the lap band procedure, utilizes a band, a “belt” with a balloon on the inside. It is placed around the upper part of the stomach, creating a small “pouch.” The band works by restricting intake and makes you feel full after eating only a small amount of food. There is no removing or re-positioning of the intestines, though having laparoscopic adjustable banding surgery means that the band must be adjusted on a regular basis to be successful. The band is put in “empty” and is progressively tightened to increase restriction and allow for more weight loss.

There are two different types of bands available today. The LAP-BAND ® has been used in the United States since 2001. The REALIZE ® Band was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2007.

What to expect with the band after laparoscopic band surgery

Almost all patients who have had laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding procedures are able to go home the same day. After getting the band, we ask you to stay on a liquid diet for three weeks after surgery. This allows the band to set into place. Remember, we will plan on starting your adjustments around three weeks after surgery.

Adjustments or “fills” are done every three to four weeks after your operation until you achieve the right fit. This may be a moving target because the stomach can shrink as a person starts to lose weight. The stomach may also get used to a certain level of tightness, so what seems tight at two months may feel loose at six months.

It is critically important that you honor your commitment to yourself and the band and keep those monthly appointments. After the first year, we are usually able to space these out once you have developed a relationship with your band. We expect our band patients to be involved in medical weight loss concurrently. A lap band procedure is NOT a metabolic surgery and requires maximum participation in our program to achieve what we consider outstanding results. If you would like to learn more about lap band surgery in San Antonio with renowned bariatric surgeons at BMI of Texas, please call us to learn about your options.

Once the most popular weight loss surgery in San Antonio, lap band surgery is being performed less and less. There are many reasons for this. Data has shown that the revision and reoperation rate can be as high as 40 percent in some studies. At BMI, we have not seen this high rate of complications; however, we feel that patients need to be informed of this data when they make the choice of what type of weight loss surgery they want to have.

At BMI of Texas, we feel our surgeons offer the best lap band surgery San Antonio has to offer. Our patients have had wonderful success with adjustable gastric banding procedures in San Antonio. We would love to share their stories with you using our Media Center, as well as show you what a real LAP-BAND ® and REALIZE ® Band procedure looks like!  Click here to watch Dr. Duperier perform a land band fill.

If you would like more information or have more questions about gastric banding in San Antonio, please contact us today or watch a free seminar!