Lap-Band Surgery

Lap-Band surgery is a minimally invasive option that uses an implant to reduce the stomach's capacity to hold food. The Lap-Band implant is made of an inflatable, silicone band placed around the top portion of the stomach to create a smaller stomach “pouch.”

The smaller stomach area reduces the amount and type of food that can be eaten, allowing a person to feel full faster during a meal and feel so for longer before eating. It also can affect the way the stomach produces the hunger hormone called ghrelin, reducing the feeling of hunger over time.

How the surgery is performed

This procedure is done laparoscopically with small incisions (about 1.5-2 cm each) into your abdomen. The surgeon places the band around your stomach using a small camera and thin instruments. The band will be connected to a port placed securely and comfortably beneath your skin to allow for adjustments to the inflatable band, which in turn adjusts the size of your stomach.

Lap-Band surgery is an outpatient procedure and often takes less than an hour. Follow-up office visits are required to adjust the Lap-Band. Patients typically lose 40 percent of their excess weight in the first year after surgery, or 2-3 pounds per week depending on eating habits and regular exercise.