Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding is surgery to make the stomach smaller. It is done to help people lose weight. The surgery limits the amount of food the stomach can hold. This helps you eat less and feel full more quickly.
The LAP-BAND® System procedure is performed laparoscopically. This means very few, small incisions are made in the abdomen (about 1.5-2.5 cm each), in which small surgical tools and a camera are placed through to allow the surgeon to see inside your body as he or she performs the procedure. The surgeon then places the band around the upper part of the stomach, forming a ring. Attached to the ring is a thin tube leading to an access port that is left under the skin. The access port is the place where the doctor puts in a needle to add or take away saline. Adding saline tightens the band and makes the stomach smaller. The doctor can take away saline if the ring is too tight.
The band is not inflated during surgery. You will need to recover from surgery before the band is adjusted for weight loss. This is usually 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.*
The LAP-BAND® System procedure is often done on an outpatient basis and the surgery itself typically takes less than an hour. When the procedure is performed in an inpatient setting, the hospital stay is generally less than one day.
*Individual Results May Vary.