Adjustable Gastric Banding, also commonly referred to known as the Lap Band® system or simply laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, is a prosthetic device that wraps around the upper part of your stomach to make a barrier for the passage of food, and this type of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding system makes you lose weight because you eat less, and you're happy eating less. The small pouch above the Adjustable Gastric Band acts to make you feel satisfied after only a small amount of food. The Adjustable Gastric Banding system usually helps you lose in the range of 50-55% of your Excess Body Weight over about 2 years. The results with the Adjustable Gastric Banding system are usually enough to get you out from under many of the medical problems associated with severe obesity, especially if you are relatively young and are able to do some exercise. The risks involved with surgery are less than with the other bariatric (weight loss) operations. The Adjustable Gastric Banding device is made of silicone, and consists of a round band that has an inflatable balloon on its inner surface. The balloon is connected to a tube that is in turn connected to a "port", and when the band is placed around the top of the stomach, the port is placed on the surface of the muscle layer of your abdominal wall. This allows the port to be accessed so that "fills" of the balloon can be done in the weeks and months after surgery. The band and the port are all placed completely laparoscopically. Our surgeons have been doing the Adjustable Gastric Banding operation for almost 10 years. The Operation The laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding operation is relatively quick, lasting about an hour, and we use 5 small incisions to do the operation. The Band is positioned so that there will be a very small partition of stomach above the Band, and then when the Band is properly filled, you'll have a narrow passage for food to traverse. Food will then sit in the upper pouch for longer, thus making you feel full for a longer time, and on less food. You'll have a swallow test once the Lap-Band® is in position to make sure all is well. There are no tubes in the nose after surgery, and you're up and around very quickly. There's an overnight stay in the hospital, in most cases, and you go home walking around and doing most everything for yourself. You can resume most activities in a couple of days. Revisions of Adjustable Gastric Banding If you've already had an Adjustable Gastric Banding procedure, but haven't been happy with your results or are having problems, Drs. Smith and Jean-Pierre can evaluate you for conversion of your Adjustable Gastric Band to a Laparoscopic Duodenal Switch procedure. Drs. Smith and Jean-Pierre are among the only surgeons in Georgia and the Southeast to offer this conversion laparoscopically. More Information For further information on laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding, please download the document: Bariatric Surgery: What Are My Options?
