There really is no magic wand you can wave to erase excess weight. It takes a firm commitment to healthy eating, aided by exercise that gets you moving, toned, and feeling energized.
For many individuals, however, bariatric surgery can be a highly effective weight loss tool that helps you feel fuller faster and motivates you onward toward your goal. And if you’ve decided to consider surgery to help you lose weight, choosing a skilled surgeon and the right type of surgery is often vital to your success.
Dr. Babak is an acclaimed bariatric surgeon who has extensive skill and experience with several surgical methods that stimulate weight loss. He recommends LAP-BAND® surgery for people who are attracted to a procedure that leaves the stomach intact and are willing to be a little more patient about losing excess weight.
What is LAP-BAND?
There are three major categories of bariatric surgery:
- Restrictive surgery, which limits the amount of food your stomach can hold, thus decreasing the number of calories you consume
- Malabsorptive surgery, which shortens or bypasses part of the small intestine and reduces the calories and nutrients your body absorbs
- Combination surgery, which reduces the amount of food your stomach can hold and bypasses part of the small intestine to reduce calorie and nutrient absorption
LAP-BAND is a restrictive surgery that’s designed to help you consume fewer calories and lose weight by feeling fuller faster.
How does LAP-BAND work?
LAP-BAND is a laparoscopic procedure that requires just a few small incisions in your abdominal area. Specialized surgical instruments are inserted through these incisions, along with a tiny camera that Dr. Babak uses to perform the procedure.
During the surgery, Dr. Babak places a small, silicone band around the upper portion of your stomach and inflates it with saline to tighten it. This creates a small pouch at the upper stomach with a narrow channel that empties into the remainder of the stomach.
After LAP-BAND, you can expect to feel full after consuming about a cup of food. A small tube connects the band to a port that’s hidden under your skin. The amount of saline in the band can be adjusted, loosened or tightened as necessary, with a simple office visit to help improve your weight loss results.
What are the benefits of LAP-BAND?
The LAP-BAND method is less invasive than procedures that require stapling or removal of portions of your stomach. This means you can expect to heal faster and get back to normal activities sooner.
And while the goal is to keep the band in place forever, it can be surgically removed if necessary.
Because LAP-BAND does not interfere with food absorption, it reduces the risk of vitamin deficiencies after the surgery.
Side effects are otherwise rare. The most common complaint after LAP-BAND is nausea and vomiting, which is often easily addressed by adjusting the tightness of the band.
What are the drawbacks of LAP-BAND?
The major drawback of LAP-BAND is that it often takes many people longer to lose weight than it does with other procedures, and most can expect to lose about 40 percent of their excess weight. That compares with 60 percent or more with other methods such as gastric bypass surgery, which is both restrictive and malabsorptive.
If you’re considering weight loss surgery to help you reach your goal or simply want more information about the available procedures, make an appointment at Healthy Life Bariatrics. We offer a variety of surgical and nonsurgical strategies that can help you lose weight and gain health.