Facts And Information About Lapband Surgery

By Matthew Hall


Over the years, many people have struggled with obesity. While the best mode of treatment remains lifestyle modification, over time more and more people have opted for surgical options. Among the most used surgical options is lapband surgery, also called gastric banding. There are many fundamental pieces of information about this procedure that one should know before considering it.

It is a surgical procedure which involves placement of an adjustable belt round the upper sections of the stomach through the use of a laparoscope. The band is usually made from silicone and is able to be tightened through addition of saline to fill the band. This band is connected to some port which is placed under skin of the abdomen. The port is used for introduction or removal of the saline into the band.

The aim of the procedure is restriction of size of the stomach and by extension the amount of food which it can hold at any given time. It will also ensure there is slowing down of passage of food into intestines. When this happens, the brain gets signaled by the gut to send the signal that one is full. This leads to less consumption of food. The signal is sent from a minute pouch created at upper stomach sections. When that pouch is full, a signal gets sent to the brain.

The procedure is done under full general anesthesia and goes for one or two hours. It gets performed through a laparoscopic method that will involve the surgeon making 3 to 5 incisions that are small. These incisions are about an inch in length. There then is the insertion of a small camera within one incision to have a view of the stomach on the screen. This camera gets attached to a tube. The function of remaining incisions is to allow the doctor to use surgical instruments and also for placement of the band.

Proper preparation for the procedure is important. Depending on your surgeon or the program, preparation varies. Most institutions will want to see commitment from their patients as regards lifestyle changes. This should be before the surgical procedure. The patient may be required to start eating 5 to 6 small meals daily for preparation of changes ahead. They will be required to keep off high calorie foods like milk shakes or ice cream.

Recovery varies from one individual to the next. Generally however, the procedure offers relatively shorter hospitalization period and much quicker recovery. Actually, many people will be able to get back to normal work within a week. This is possible if the work is not so demanding. Normal activities can resume after 6 weeks.

After you come from the procedure, there might be a feeling of discomfort or pain but this is easily controlled using medications. After 6 to 8 weeks, any discomfort ends and normalcy resumes. At first, weight loss will be very rapid but this slows down after some time. In total, one will lose about 40 percent of what their weight was.

There are a number of expected side effects. They include vomiting, nausea and dehydration. There might also be ulceration at the band. Some patients experience regain of weight.




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