The LAP-BAND® System...A Proven Solution
Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) with the LAP-BAND® System offers severely obese patients a minimally invasive and safe surgical weight loss option. Weight loss with the LAP-BAND® System may resove or improve life-threatening comorbidities and help patients live healthier lives.
The LAP-BAND® System is a prosthetic device made out of plastic. It was FDA approved for the treatment of weight loss in the middle of 2001 after being studied in the United States. The Europeans and Australians have had experience using the LAP-BAND® System for over five years. The LAP-BAND® System is an adjustable ring that is placed over the upper stomach to create a small pouch. The ring is attached to tubing which itself is attached to a port that lies under the skin. The tightness of the ring is adjusted during routine office visits. If a patient does not experience adequate weight loss, fluid is added through the port and the band tightens creating a smaller pouch and a sense of early fullness after meals. If too much fluid is present such that the patient cannot tolerate any solid food, fluid is removed from the band. See some more pictures of the LAP-BAND® System. Using these adjustments, the band can be fine-tuned for each patient. Currently, over 1000 LAP-BANDS® are placed in the United States every month.
What are some of the unique aspects of the LAP-BAND® System?
1. The LAP-BAND® System is the only weight loss surgery that can be done as an outpatient.
2. The LAP-BAND® System is easily reversible.
3. The LAP-BAND® System allows patients to fully digest vitamins and minerals in food.
Does the Lap-Band System® resolve or improve weight related comorbidities?
- In 4 studies, 90% or more of patients have experienced resolution or improvement of asthma, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and GERD.
- In 4 studies, 44% to 75% of patients could discontinue treatment for comorbidities
Is the Lap-Band System® right for me?
If you or obese and have been thinking about weight loss surgery as a option in losing your excess weight, you can use the general guidelines below to determine if LAP-BAND® System is the right option for you.
You are at least 18 years old
You are at least 100 pounds overweight or your BMI is 40 or higher (or at least 35 if you have one or more comorbidities - weight-related health conditions - such as type 2 diabetes)
Please be advised that only a qualified physician and certified Lap-Band System surgeon can properly evaluate your health risk factors and if you are an appropriate candidate. The NEW Program at Community Hospital of Long Beach offers Informational Seminars to help you learn more about the Lap-Band System.
You can also call our Bariatric Surgery Program Coordinators at 800.964.0525. They can help you make the decision to seek more information about weight loss surgery using the LAP-BAND® System. If you live outside the state or out of the immediate Orange and Los Angeles Counties, we have special arrangements with hotels and transportation companies. (view our arrangements with hotels and transportation )
Why a Lap-Band System® Bariatric Surgeon?
Your first step toward successful surgical weight-loss is finding a qualified surgeon. The N.E.W. Program at Community Hospital of Long Beach has an experienced team of LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding surgeons. Dr. Brain Quebbemann and Dr. Justin Braverman are highly qualified and experience bariatric surgeons. Dr.s Quebbermann and Braverman meet all the training guidelines established by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). To be certified as a LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System surgeon the following requirements must be met:
- Advanced laparoscopic skills and experience.
- Completion of at least 25 bariatric (weight-loss surgery) procedures or completion of a comprehensive bariatric surgery course that covers patient selection, surgery options, peri-operative care, and long-term management, such as those provided by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
- Participation in an Allergan-sponsored or -authorized comprehensive workshop.
- Commitment and ability to make the LAP-BAND® System a significant component of a multidisciplinary bariatric practice providing long-term patient support and follow-up.
- Comprehensive bariatric patient support program that includes appropriate hospital facilities, nutrition and exercise counseling, and psychological, general medicine, and radiological support personnel.
- The NEW Program at Community Hospital of Long Beach adheres to these strict program criteria.
(Certification courtesy of Allergan, Inc. LAP-BAND® System)
How long will it take to recover after surgery?
If LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System surgery is performed laparoscopically, The NEW Program at Community Hospital of Long Beach patients typically spend less than 24 hours in the hospital. Most of our patients return to work in about a week, and to exercise in about a month to 6 weeks.
In the case of open surgery, or if there are complications, recovery may take longer.
What is the weight loss expectation with the LAP-BAND® System?
Is it used for weight control?
The NEW Program at Community Hospital of Long Beach experts in the LAP-BAND® System surgery find that patients will lose an average of 50% of their excess weight. The weight loss occurs over a period of 2-3 years, with the majority of weight loss in the first year. Excess weight is defined as a person's current weight minus their ideal body weight.
How many adjustments are necessary before I start losing weight?
Because of the special diet the surgical weight loss program specialists at The NEW Program at Community Hospital of Long Beach place patients on after their operation, many patients loss some weight even without any adjustments.
The first adjustment occurs at 6 weeks post-operative. We wait that long in order to allow the band to scar in place. On average, four adjustments are necessary before the patient is losing weight at an expected pace. Some people need only one adjustment; others may need five or six.
How are the adjustments performed?
In the office, your certified LAP-BAND® System surgeons will clean the area on top of the port with betadine and then numb the skin with lidocaine using a small needle. A larger needle is then placed through the skin and into the port. Saline is then injected at amounts decided on by the surgeon.
When do I know that I need an adjustment?
- Are you losing weight? The surgical weight loss experts at The N.E.W. Program at Community Hospital of Long Beach expect an average of 1-2 pounds a week.
- Do you feel full after eating solid foods? You should then have fluid placed in your band by The NEW Program bariatric surgeons.
- Do you experience reflux or vomiting? Perhaps, your band may be too tight. The NEW Program surgeons will make adjustments every couple weeks as necessary.
What are some of the potential complications of the LAP-BAND® System?
The LAP-BAND® System is a much less complicated procedure than the other bariatric operations. Because of this, there are few potential complications possible immediately after placement of the LAP-BAND® System. There are some long-term complications possible that are unique. First, the LAP-BAND® System can "slip." That is, the LAP-BAND® System can twist out of position and cause reflux and difficultly with foods. Weight loss can be affected. This can be diagnosed by an X-ray - however, only your surgeon will be experienced enough to diagnose this problem. A slip occurs in 2 percent of patients and requires an operation to fix. The LAP-BAND® System has been known to erode into the stomach. This occurs in 2 percent of patients. This can be a serious problem that requires an operation and removal of the LAP-BAND® System. We have never had an erosion of a LAP-BAND®. Rarely, the band can become infected which is generally a cause for removal. In previously designed bands, the port was found to fracture easily - this has now been addressed with a new port design.
Will I feel hungry or deprived with the LAP-BAND® System?
The LAP-BAND® System helps you eat less and feel full in two ways-first by reducing the capacity of your stomach, and second, by increasing the time it takes food to get through the digestive system. After a small meal, the amount of which varies from person to person, you should feel full. If you follow the nutrition guidelines provided to you by The N.E.W. Program Lifestyle Management Program and chew your food well, you should not feel hungry or deprived. Remember that the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System is a tool to help you change your eating habits.
If I "skip" and drink with a meal or eat too much soft, high calorie food during one meal, have I "ruined the whole thing?"
No. But do not make a habit of it.
Does the LAP-BAND® System limit any physical activity?
The LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System should not interfere with exercise or physical activity. We encourage you to participate in physical activity!