Useful Details 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 surgery is done under full anesthesia and usually goes for between one and two hours. It is done through a laparoscopic method that involves having very small incisions made in the stomach. The incisions are normally 3 or 5 and are roughly one inch long. The doctor inserts a small camera into one of the incisions to be able to view the procedure via a screen. For better precision, the camera is attached to some tube. The incisions that are not used are utilized for allowing surgical band placement.

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 the procedure is done, you might feel some discomfort which is however easy to control using medications. After 6 to 8 weeks, normal activity resumes. The process of weight loss is however gradual. In the beginning stages, loss is more dramatic. However, it slows dramatically over time. In most cases, weight loss will be 40 percent of what total weight was.

There are a few side effects that you should expect. These include nausea, vomiting, ulceration at the band site and dehydration. It is also possible for a patient to experience weight regain.




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