To Band or Not to Band: The Merits of the LAP-BAND® System as Compared to Other Bariatric Surgical Procedures

By Kathleen Hauser

Published on April 16, 2007

Bariatric surgery is becoming increasingly popular in the United States as a means for people who suffer from morbid obesity to lose dramatic and life-saving amounts of weight. While gastric bypass procedures set the trend for weight loss surgery, less invasive gastric banding with the LAP-BAND® System is quickly becoming the procedure of choice for many patients. Though patients who undergo gastric bypass procedures usually lose more weight than LAP-BAND® System patients in the first year after surgery, long-term results are comparable, and LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band patients face fewer risks and negative side effects.

A LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band procedure artificially reduces the size of the opening to a patient’s stomach so it holds less food. Thus, the patient experiences a dramatically decreased appetite, and he or she feels full for a longer time after eating. In most cases, patients who undergo a LAP-BAND® System procedure lose between one-half and two-thirds their excess body weight.

The name LAP-BAND® is a shortened combination of two terms: laparoscopic and gastric banding. During a laparoscopic procedure, the surgeon uses several very small incisions to create access ports through which he or she is able to insert slender surgical tools, rather than creating one, much larger, incision. The benefits of this type of surgery are many, especially in comparison to other, more invasive bariatric procedures.

With a laparoscopic procedure, there is less risk of infection because the patient is less exposed to germs and bacteria. Many patients are pleased to have only minimal scars after their LAP-BAND® System procedure, as opposed to the long scar left after gastric bypass surgery and other bariatric procedures. A less invasive procedure also leads to a shorter recovery time, which means fewer costly medications, a shorter hospital stay, and less time away from work. The average LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band patient spends fewer than 24 hours in the hospital, and is able to return to work in roughly one week, while bypass patients spend anywhere from 48 to 72 hours in the hospital and miss an average of two to three weeks of work. Not only is LAP-BAND® System surgery less disruptive to a patient’s life, but a shortened surgical recovery is especially beneficial to patients of bariatric surgery because they can pursue their new, active lifestyle much more quickly.

The adjustable nature of the LAP-BAND® System makes this procedure truly state-of-the-art. This is the only bariatric procedure in which the doctor and patient can regulate the size of the stomach opening, and consequently, regulate the amount of food the patient is able to take in. The inner surface of the band contains a tube, which can be filled with varying amounts of saline to control tightness. The tube is connected to a reservoir embedded in the patient’s abdomen during the banding procedure, through which the doctor may add or remove fluid at any time using a very fine needle. If the patient does not appear to be losing sufficient weight, the doctor may tighten his or her band and further restrict the amount of food the patient is able to take in. Furthermore, in instances where the patient needs to be able to eat more, if the patient is ill or pregnant, for example, the band can be loosened. An added benefit to the LAP-BAND® System is that it is completely reversible, in most cases laparoscopically, and the patient’s stomach will return to its original shape.

During gastric bypass surgery, the patient’s stomach and bowels are cut and stapled, literally bypassing a large portion of the digestive system. This procedure is much more traumatic to the body, and carries higher risks. Additionally, because bypass patients lose the use of a large portion of their digestive tract, they face a decreased ability to process food and absorb nutrients, which could lead to medical problems such as malnutrition in the future. Gastric bypass surgery, unlike the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System, is also very difficult to reverse.

It is of crucial importance that patients who undergo any type of bariatric surgery understand that such operations are meant to be used as tools to help them in their quest to reach a healthy weight, and that these operations are not cures in and of themselves. In order for an individual undergoing any bariatric surgery procedure to meet his or her goal, a healthy diet and exercise routine must be implemented.