Benefits of the LAP-BAND® System

The LAP-BAND® System is among the most popular surgical weight loss treatments for good reason: it offers many significant advantages over alternative treatments such as gastric bypass and vertical banded gastroplasty. Patients should consider all of their available options with a qualified bariatric surgeon before reaching a decision about which procedure is best for them. However, the following advantages of the LAP-BAND® System are important considerations for almost any patient.

Effective, Permanent Weight Loss

Most importantly, the LAP-BAND® System is proven to be an effective means of losing weight and maintaining a healthier size over long periods of time. Obesity is closely linked to a variety of serious health problems, including heart disease and diabetes, which can put an overweight person at real risk of premature death. Most people who suffer from obesity realize this risk, and many have made repeated efforts to get healthy through rigorous changes to diet and exercise. Unfortunately, many of these people do not succeed despite making a real effort. They may lose weight for a time, but almost invariably they gain it back. These fluctuations can be stressful and emotionally devastating.

The LAP-BAND® System offers real hope for effective and long-lasting weight loss. Most patients can expect to lose at least one pound per week for the first year after surgery, and some patients lose weight significantly faster. This steady pace is the healthiest way to lose weight, putting the least amount of strain on the body and minimizing complications while reducing the health risks associated with obesity. Over the long term, the LAP-BAND® System is at least as effective as any other surgical weight loss alternative.

Flexibility and Adjustability

The LAP-BAND® System is more flexible than any other surgical weight loss option. The gastric band is designed to be adjustable, allowing surgeons to fine-tune treatment to the needs of the individual patient without additional surgeries. With injections of saline fluid into a port implanted beneath the skin, surgeons can tighten or loosen the band to change the size of the stomach pouch. This allows the surgeon to balance safety, comfort, and steady weight loss while minimizing complications.

Safety and Reversibility

LAP-BAND® System surgery is the safest and least invasive surgical weight loss procedure available. Unlike other alternatives, gastric banding does not require surgeons to reconfigure the digestive tract. This means that the procedure is simpler and safer. Further, the LAP-BAND® System does not require permanent surgical changes to the digestive tract; in other words, the procedure is reversible. If severe post-surgical complications arise, surgeons can remove the LAP-BAND® System and restore the digestive tract to its normal structure. By contrast, this is not the case with a procedure such as gastric bypass, which requires surgeons to permanently alter the anatomy of the stomach and intestines.

Find a LAP-BAND® System Surgeon near You

These important advantages make the LAP-BAND® System a good option for chronically obese patients who are interested in losing weight and improving their health. Bariatric surgeons nationwide offer gastric banding as an option to their patients. To find a LAP-BAND® System surgeon in your area, search DocShop's database of weight loss surgeons today.