[MsJacquiiC]

The Lap Band Procedure
About the Laproscopic Procedure

The above charicature shows the principles and surgery technique used in the Lap Band Procedure.

The LAP-BAND? is a restrictive procedure approved by the US FDA in June 2001. It has been widely used in Europe and Australia since 1993. The device is made of a silicone elastomer that has been proven to be very safe.

The LAP-BAND? is fastened around the upper stomach to create a new, tiny stomach pouch. The band is connected to an access port below the skin surface by thin, kink-resistant silicone tubing. The port allows the surgeon to adjust the size of the LAP-BAND? system to meet individual patient weight loss needs by adding or removing saline to inflate or deflate the band. This impacts the amount and consumption rate of food. The goal rate of weight loss is 1-3 lbs. a week. Adjustments to the band, which are performed during simple outpatient visits, are determined by the patient's weight loss, the amount of food that can be comfortably eaten, and other issues surrounding the patient's health. As a result, patients experience an earlier sensation of fullness and are very satisfied with smaller amounts of food.

Lap Band procedure explained

The adjustable band used in the Lap Band surgery can easily be introduced via minimally-invasive, laprascopic surgery.

Morbidly obese patients have an incredibly high risk of related health problems and premature death; therefore the FDA has certified the LAP-BAND? System in the treatment of obesity: This operation, can be accomplished with a fast, simple, laparoscopic technique.

Developed to aid in long-term weight loss, the LAP-BAND? System has been used by leading laparoscopic surgeons worldwide to treat severe obesity. Sustained weight loss with the LAP-BAND? System is achieved by reducing the capacity of the stomach. The LAP-BAND? System has been designed for laparoscopic placement, which offers the advantages of reduced post-operative pain, no hospital stay and quicker recovery. No cutting or stapling of the stomach is required, and there is no need to bypass portions of the stomach or intestines.

• Reduced pain, no hospital stay and less recovery time compared to the invasive gastric bypass surgery, stomach stapling (or conventional weight loss surgeries)
• Procedure is performed without the need to cut or staple the stomach
• Technique is adjustable and reversible to individualize weight loss for each patient

You should be at least 60 pounds overweight to consider the LAP-BAND? System. A better measure for determining your eligibility, however, is your BMI (Body Mass Index), a calculation based on your height and weight ( CLICK HERE TO OPEN THE JOURNEY BMI CALCULATOR!). The LAP-BAND? is generally recommended for patients with a BMI of 30-65.

Clinically Severe Obesity is considered a chronic disease. In the United States, more than 12 million people suffer from this condition and from its medical, psychological, social and economic consequences including job loss and higher insurance fees. Clinically Severe Obesity is typically defined as an excess weight of 60 pounds (lbs) or more as compared with a person's Ideal Body Weight. Being more than 25% above your Ideal Body Weight is linked with increased risk of health problems, disease and death.

According to medical literature, clinically severe obese people can never achieve long-term weight loss with dietary or behavioral modifications alone. A 100% failure rate is reported and a series of failures will again lead to enormous psychological problems. Known as the "yo-yo Syndrome," this situation creates additional physical burden on these already high-risk patients. Surgery is therefore indicated for these patients.

The abdomen is not actually opened, nor is the patient's intestines cut.

Conventional obesity surgery is a high-risk procedure because of preoperative and postoperative morbidity. Preoperatively, access to the stomach is somewhat limited because of the enormous amount of fat surrounding the organ. Postoperatively, relative immobility of those patients facilitates blood clotting in deep veins of the legs and lung complications. The laparoscopic placement of an adjustable gastric band combines the advantages of this type of restrictive surgery, however is much less invasive than other procedures because the abdomen is not actually opened, nor is the patient's intestines cut. With this combination, operative risk is greatly reduced as well as morbidity and patient discomfort. Total reversibility and adjustability of the lap band are very positive points.

Lap-Band Video:

Body Mass Index BMI A statistical method of figuring out the degree of excess or insufficient weight based on one's height & weight. Though the controversial BMI does not actually measure the percentage of body fat, it is a useful tool to estimate a healthy body weight based on how tall a person is.

Morbid Obesity A condition in which the Body Mass Index is 40.0–49.9, which is roughly equal to 100 pounds or more over ideal body weight; a weight level that is life-threatening. A BMI greater than 50 is termed as "super obese." CLICK HERE TO OPEN THE JOURNEY BMI CALCULATOR!

Laparoscopy Laparoscopic surgery, also called minimally invasive surgery is a modern surgical technique in which operations in the abdomen are performed through small incisions as compared to larger incisions needed in open surgical procedures. Laparoscopic surgery belongs to the broader field of endoscopy. The key element in laparoscopic surgery is the use of a laparoscope: a telescopic rod lens system, that is usually connected to a video camera. Also attached is a fiber optic cable system connected to a 'cold' light source (halogen or xenon), to illuminate the operative field, inserted through a 5 mm or 10 mm Trocar to view the operative field. The abdomen is usually insufflated with carbon dioxide gas to create a working and viewing space. The abdomen is essentially blown up like a balloon (insufflated), elevating the abdominal wall above the internal organs like a dome. The gas used is CO2, which is common to the human body and can be absorbed by tissue and removed by the respiratory system.

Obesity Obesity results from the excessive accumulation of fat that exceeds the body's skeletal and physical standards. Obesity has been defined as a weight more than 20% above what is considered normal according to standard age, height, and weight tables, or by a complex formula known as the body mass index. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an increase in 20 percent or more above your ideal body weight is the point at which excess weight becomes a health risk. CLICK HERE TO OPEN THE JOURNEY BMI CALCULATOR!

Gastric Banding Surgery The adjustable gastric banding is a restrictive surgical procedure during which a silicone band is placed around the stomach, creating a small pouch. The band includes a balloon that is filled with a nontoxic fluid, most commonly a saline solution; periodic adjustments are performed by a healthcare professional who accesses the balloon via a subcutaneous port. Gastric band placement, unlike malabsorptive weight loss surgery (e.g. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, Biliopancreatic Diversion, and Duodenal Switch), does not cut or remove any part of the digestive system. See WLS Videos for animated surgery technique.

Overweight It is defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9. Body weight comes from fat, muscle, bone, and body water. It is important to remember that although BMI correlates with the amount of body fat, BMI does not directly measure body fat. As a result, some people, such as athletes, may have a BMI that identifies them as over their ideal body weight even though they do not have excess body fat. CLICK HERE TO OPEN THE JOURNEY BMI CALCULATOR!

Pouch Most bariatric surgeries restricts the amount of food a patient can eat by reducing the size of the stomach by gastric banding, stapling or removal. What results is known as the gastric pouch.