How the LAP-BAND Works
What is the LAP-BAND?
A laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, or “lap-band,” is a minimally invasive weight-loss procedure aimed at restricting the capacity of the stomach with an elastic silicone band. Without stapling or cutting, lap-band significantly decreases the amount of food you need to feel full. With a lap-band procedure, you will finally be able to cut your portion size without feeling hungry or deprived.
Because lap-band makes you feel full faster and slows down the emptying of your stomach, you will soon notice that lap-band is not merely a procedure, but a lifestyle. This lifestyle will help you break out from the vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting, make your life healthier and more fulfilling. Once the band is in place, you will finally feel in charge of what and how much you eat. Being in control of portion size, you will once more feel empowered and confident about your weight loss goals.
At DayOne Health we say that the lap-band’s primary goal is to make you healthy with the byproduct of losing weight. In fact, lap-band can be a powerful tool in improving all health conditions related to your weight. If you decide to get a lap-band, you will not only become in control of your eating habits, but ultimately your health as well.
How Does the LAP-BAND Differ From Other Weight Loss Procedures?
The lap-band procedure is currently the safest, and the only adjustable and reversible weight loss procedure available. Moreover, it’s the only weight loss procedure that can be performed on the outpatient basis and with the shortest average recovery time. While safety and the reversibility of the procedure make the lap-band the most preferred option for significantly overweight patients, it’s the lap-band’s adjustability that really makes it shine among other weight loss surgeries.
Unlike other weight-loss procedures, lap-band surgery gives you the full control over your stomach’s restriction. In other words, anytime you feel your band is too tight or too loose, you can make an appointment and have it adjusted. During your visit to our Chicago office, your weight loss surgeon can tighten the band by injecting saline solution though the port attached under the skin. Saline removal, on the other hand, will make the band looser and increase the size of your stomach pouch. Soon after you get the right amount of fluid in your band, you will start losing extra pounds almost effortlessly.
How Does the LAP-BAND Work?
Once in place, the lap-band has three functions:
- Limits and controls the amount of food that you can eat.
- Delays emptying of the new “smaller” stomach into the intestines.
- Creates sensation of fullness sooner and for a longer period of time, so that your overall hunger is decreased.
Lap-band patients simply feel less hungry, eat less, lose weight and keep it off.
What Does LAP-BAND Surgery Entail?
During the procedure, the lap-band system surgeon makes a few small incisions. Using a camera and thin, long-shafted surgical instruments, the surgeon places a round silicone adjustable band around the upper part of the stomach. Finally, the band gets secured in place with several sutures. The band squeezes the stomach like a belt or rubber band, creating a small pouch in the upper stomach. As a result, the banded stomach permits only a small amount of food to pass through.
At DayOne Health’s state-of-the art surgical facilities in Chicago, the procedure is safely performed on an outpatient basis with no required overnight hospital stay. The lap-band placement procedure itself takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes. After the band has been placed, you will spend about four hours in our recovery suite. Once you have received medical clearance to leave, you will walk out of our facility and continue recovering in the comfort of your own home that same evening. Recovery times may vary, but patients can generally return to work and normal activities within four to seven days.
What Can LAP-BAND Patients Eat?
In the first few weeks after surgery, lap-band system patients follow a steady progression from liquid to solid foods. This allows the stomach to heal after surgery. After you can tolerate solid foods you will be able to eat all the foods you love.
The difference that you will notice soon after your first adjustment is that the amount food you can eat will be a lot smaller than what you normally ate before. Once your lap-band is optimally adjusted, you will be able to eat about half a cup of food in one seating. The only downside is that lap-band is a purely restrictive procedure, so it won’t influence the number of calories your body absorbs. In other words, in order to obtain optimal results, you should avoid foods rich in sugars and high in fat content. Instead, you should work with a bariatric dietitian on improving your eating habits to make sure you get all the nutrients you need. For further information about lap-band nutrition visit our lap-band diet page.
LAP-BAND Surgeons in Chicago
Using the lap-band system for weight loss is a safe and effective method to regain your health. If you are interested in learning more about the lap-band procedure, schedule a one-on-one consultation with one of our experienced Chicago surgeons today!
