Saturday 27 October 2012

Lap-Band Surgery: Advantages and Disadvantages

Lap-Band surgery is proving to be a safe and effective treatment for those obese people who have made umpteen futile attempts of shedding those extra pounds despite taking lower-calorie, low-fat diets and exercising daily.

Also called laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), Lap-Band is the second most commonly performed weight loss surgery, after gastric bypass.

Back in 2001, America's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sanctioned use of gastric banding for weight-loss surgery for severely obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 40 or a BMI of at least 35 with one or more health conditions related to their weight, such as heart disease or diabetes.

In February 2011, the US health watchdog expanded its approval to include obese individuals with Body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more and who also have an existing obesity-related medical problem.

Surgical Overview
Lap-Band is a reversible and the least invasive weight loss procedure, in which an adjustable silicone band is placed around the upper part of the stomach to separate it from the lower part.

The newly created small stomach pouch can hold little amount of food at one time, which helps in restricting the food intake and making patients feel full sooner.

During the surgery, a bariatric expert makes 2 to 5 small incisions in your abdomen, and through one of these openings inserts a tiny camera (laparoscope) in your belly which allows the surgeon to see inside the stomach on a video monitor.

Through other openings, the surgeon inserts tiny surgical instruments place a band around the upper part of your stomach, dividing it into two parts. The smaller upper pouch fills up quickly, and you feel full after taking in just a small amount of food.

The band is connected by tubing to an access port which is fixed right beneath the skin of the abdomen during surgery.

Gastric banding patients can expect a loss of up to 40 percent of their excess weight. It is a restrictive form of bariatric surgery and is performed under general anesthesia. The operation may take only 30 to 60 minutes if done by a skilled and experienced surgeon.

Lap-Band is a much safer than other weight loss procedures like gastric bypass and gastric sleeve. As well, it carries fewer risks and complications.

Advantages
One of the biggest benefits Lap-Band surgery offers over other forms of bariatric surgery is that it can be reversed if necessary. It can also be removed completely.
Another advantage is that the band is adjustable, allowing the addition of fluid that will tighten the band. Likewise, fluid can be removed to allow normal eating.
No cutting or stapling, no blood loss, and shorter hospital stay are other benefits.
Lap-Band patients experience less post-surgery pain, recover more quickly, and are able to return to normal physical activities sooner in comparison to other
It offers significant weight loss.

Risks and Complications
Band slippage may occur, and the small stomach pouch may become too enlarged, calling for reoperation.
Erosion of band into the stomach is a possibility.
Leakage in lap band balloon or within the Lap-Band tube connection can occur.
An infection may develop either in the port area or in the abdomen.
Injury to intestines or other organs during the surgery is also a possibility
Scarring inside the belly can lead to an obstruction in your bowel.
A substandard and inexperienced may not be able to tighten or loosen the band, and you require another operation to fix this problem.
Nausea, vomiting, constipation can occur following the surgery, necessitating loosening of the band.
Extremely rare, but death can occur following the Lap-Band surgery. The risk of death due to the surgery is about one in 2,000.

Obese people who wish to undergo weight loss surgery but are unable to afford in their native countries can get the surgery done in Mexico at the skilled hands of Dr Castaneda Bariatric Surgeon who offers quality weight loss procedures at fairly less prices.

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert

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