Saturday, April 28, 2018

Useful Details About Lapband Surgery

By Matthew Hall


Over the years, many people have struggled with obesity. While the best mode of treatment remains lifestyle modification, over time more and more people have opted for surgical options. Among the most used surgical options is lapband surgery, also called gastric banding. There are many fundamental pieces of information about this procedure that one should know before considering it.

The procedure involves placement of an adjustable belt on the upper part of the stomach using a laparoscope. The band is made of silicone and can get tightened by adding salt to it so that the band is filled. The band is normally connected to some port that is put within the abdomen, under the skin. This port is used to introduce or remove saline into the band.

Ultimately, this procedure restricts stomach size and thus the amount of food it is able to hold. It will also slow down the food passage into the intestines. In so doing, signals to the brain that come from the gut will allow for a sensation of fullness. One will thus consume less food. The signal is usually sent from a small pouch that is created by the band at the upper section of the stomach. When this pouch gets filled, the same signal will be sent to the brain.

The procedure is done under full general anesthesia and goes for one or two hours. It gets performed through a laparoscopic method that will involve the surgeon making 3 to 5 incisions that are small. These incisions are about an inch in length. There then is the insertion of a small camera within one incision to have a view of the stomach on the screen. This camera gets attached to a tube. The function of remaining incisions is to allow the doctor to use surgical instruments and also for placement of the band.

Preparing well for the procedure will be key. Depending on the program one goes for or the surgeon in question, preparation will be varied. The majority of institutions look to first see how committed the patient is when it comes to change in lifestyle. The patient will be expected to start by eating 5 to 6 very small meals every day in preparation for changes ahead. High calorie foods like ice cream or milk shakes should be avoided.

Recovery varies from one individual to the next. Generally however, the procedure offers relatively shorter hospitalization period and much quicker recovery. Actually, many people will be able to get back to normal work within a week. This is possible if the work is not so demanding. Normal activities can resume after 6 weeks.

After the procedure is done, you might feel some discomfort which is however easy to control using medications. After 6 to 8 weeks, normal activity resumes. The process of weight loss is however gradual. In the beginning stages, loss is more dramatic. However, it slows dramatically over time. In most cases, weight loss will be 40 percent of what total weight was.

There are a number of expected side effects. They include vomiting, nausea and dehydration. There might also be ulceration at the band. Some patients experience regain of weight.




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