How Does Lap Band Surgery Work?

With obesity at epidemic proportions in America today, the medical profession is searching for new solutions to the growing problem. Lap band surgery is quickly becoming an option for dealing with obesity. This type of gastric bypass surgery has been perform in Mexico for many years, but is just beginning to become widely performed in this country.

The purpose of gastric bypass surgery is to reduce the top of the stomach to the size of an egg. As a result, the amount of food a person can consume is limited. Lap band surgery does this by putting a band around the stomach, forming a small pouch at the top that is separate from the rest of the stomach. The actual operation itself usually takes less than hour.

The band is inserted through a very small incision through the abdomen. This band has a balloon that makes it adjustable and can be inflated or deflated at any time after the operation. The band adjustment is performed as a simple outpatient procedure that normally takes about 15 minutes. Saline is inserted through a port under the stomach wall that is connected to the band.

The recovery time for lap band surgery is minimal compared to the other types of gastric bypass surgery. It requires 1-2 day hospital stay and most patients are able to return to work within a week.

Lap band surgery is relatively simple and doctors having great success with it. I think you are going to see a lot more of lap band surgeries performed in the future as this country begins to deal with its weight problem.

Marjorie Salada is the owner of Gastric Bypass Surgery, a site that contains information on gastric bypass surgery and lap band surgery.