If you have come to the point in your life that you are ready explore weight loss surgery, there are multiple options available. One of the choices you may consider is Lap-Band surgery, which is one of the choices we offer at The Weight Loss Surgery Center of Los Angeles. For thousands of our patients, Lap-Band weight loss surgery was the right choice, helping patients lose up to 200 or pounds or more.
What Is Lap-Band Surgery?
The key component to all weight loss surgery is food restriction. Helping bariatric patients eat less is what makes weight loss surgery very successful, but the various bariatric procedures accomplish this in different ways. With Lap-Band, a silicone band is secured around the top portion of the stomach. This band creates a small portion of the stomach at the top which only holds about two ounces at a time. This restricts the amount of food the patient can eat and helps them feel fuller faster. The tightness of the band can be adjusted as needed for food restriction through a port that is placed on the abdomen wall right beneath the skin.
Lap-Band vs Other Bariatric Surgery
The Lap-Band procedure is a minimally invasive bariatric procedure that is enticing for many reasons. While gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and most other bariatric surgeries change the digestive system by removing portions, Lap-Band does not. This is a device that is added to control the amount of food that is eaten at one time, but it is not a permanent change to the digestive system. Some of the advantages include:
- Restriction can be adjusted during and after weight loss
- Patients can eat any type of food without restrictions, unlike many other bariatric surgeries
- Lap-Band is removable and reversable
- Patients with a BMI as low as 30 may be able to qualify for Lap-Band
For many of our patients, Lap-Band is a less invasive choice that can be the tool they need to finally lose excess weight for good. For others, sleeve gastrectomy or gastric balloon procedures may fit their needs better. To learn more about Lap-Band weight loss surgery and whether it may be right for you, call our experts at The Weight Loss Surgery Center of Los Angeles to schedule a complimentary weight loss consultation.
Posted on behalf of Dr. David G. Davtyan MD, FACS, FICS
