Of all the methods of gastric bypass, lap band surgery is said to be the safest. Candidates for this type of surgery are obese and may have had no success reducing their weight through exercise or dieting. The procedure itself takes roughly forty minutes under anesthesia. An inflatable band is squeezed around the stomach and tied rather like a belt, dividing the stomach into two parts; the small upper and larger lower sections. Between these parts lies the stoma and this is affected by the amount of saline which the lap band contains, which in turn controls the amounts of food flow into the intestines.
Carefully selected before gastric bypass, physicians will scrutinize patients for their eating practices, look for any untreated medical conditions would could be contra-indicative, and treat them where possible. A psychological consultation will also be necessary to address the causes of overeating should they be due to any neuroses, depression or anxiety syndromes. Sex abuse of the patient in childhood can also play a part, as the person overeats to make themselves less desirable.
Is it reversible? Yes it is. The band can be loosened or tightened to suit the patient by a simple adjustment of saline in the inflatable band via the insertion of a very slender needle. This is particularly useful if weight loss is too rapid, or the patient has a weight increase instead of decrease; or has a lifestyle change such as pregnancy or becoming unwell. The band can be totally removed by surgery.
Patients not considered to be candidates for more invasive gastric bypass (such as Roux-en-Y surgery) may very well be suitable for the less invasive procedure of this technique instead. Most bariatric surgery will only be carried out on people with a body mass index of forty or over. It will also be considered in people slightly under forty who have diabetes or high-blood-pressure. They will greatly benefit from losing weight. Lap band is simpler, has a lower mortality rate and less risks all round.
The technique is preferable to other types of gastric bypass as not only is there less scarring, but recovery is shorter and requires a smaller amount of time in hospital. It is also non-invasive which makes it preferable. As a general rule, people over the age of sixty-six and under eighteen should not really submit themselves to gastric surgery; however, as every case is decided on its own merits, lap band may be a possibility.
A slower weight-loss rate is experienced with this surgery in comparison with more invasive surgery. Usually one to two pounds a week will be lost. Surgery is not advisable for people with existing gastric problems such as stomach ulcers, hernias and other diseases of the digestive tract.
It works by altering the digestive system of the body. No longer will the body be able to tolerate normal size plates of food, but food will have to be ingested in smaller portions, and more regularly throughout the day. It requires a change in lifestyle and the ways in which the person eats and drinks. This is why motivation plays a huge factor when considering the patient as a likely candidate for surgery.
The beauty of lap band surgery is not only its minimally-invasive quality, but also for the fact that no dumping will occur. Dumping is the process where bits of non-digested food mixed with sugary substances and pass through the stomach into the intestine too rapidly. This causes great discomfort with cramping, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and weakness. Having lap banding, the patient should not experience dumping, but is still advised to follow a healthy lifestyle to avoid regaining weight.
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