Benefits and Risks of Lap Band Surgery?
LAP-BAND® Surgery is the safest, least invasive weight loss
procedure in use today. The morbidity rate for this procedure is
just 1 in 2000 compared, for example, to the rate of 1 in 250
for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. LAP-BAND® patients heal
faster, recover more quickly, experience less pain, and leave
the hospital sooner than patients undergoing other weight-loss
procedures.
The adjustable gastric band can be modified without
additional surgery, and the procedure is fully reversible -- the
stomach returns to normal if it is removed. LAP-BAND® surgery
involves no cutting or stapling of the stomach and no bypassing
of the intestines. It does not cause malnutrition as with
malabsorptive procedures and does not cause dumping syndrome as
with gastric bypass surgery.
High blood pressure is cured or improved in 78% of patients
who lose a significant amount of weight after weight loss
surgery. Along with post-surgical weight loss, many patients
also see great improvement in other co-morbidities such as pain
from arthritis, discomforts of sleep apnea, and illnesses such
as diabetes.
To Discuss With Your Surgeon
Any surgical procedure carries certain risks including
adverse reaction to anesthesia and medications; bleeding; death;
dehydration; diarrhea; heart attack; infection; injury to
surrounding organs; lung problems (such as pneumonia and
pulmonary embolism); nausea; pain; stroke; thrombosis (blood
clots); and vomiting. These general risks are present whenever a
patient undergoes major surgery and should be considered
carefully with your doctor before deciding to proceed with
gastric band surgery.
The type of expected risks and complications will also vary
depending on whether the surgery is performed using open or
laparoscopic (non-invasive) methods. Although most gastric
banding procedures are performed laparoscopically, the surgeon
may need to switch to open surgery after the procedure has begun
due to complications. Conversion from laparoscopic to open
surgery occurs in about 5% of LAP-BAND® patients.
Some potential problems specific to gastric band
surgery include:
- Band problems (erosion, slippage, leakage)
- Esophagitis (inflammation, irritation, or swelling of
the esophagus)
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Port problems (displacement, leakage, port-site
infection)
- Stoma blockage
- Stomach problems (pouch enlargement, slippage)
- Tubing problems (disconnection from port, leakage)
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