The prevalence of overweight, obesity and extreme obesity among adults and children is alarming. Center for Disease Control and Prevention asserts that more than a third of US residents have obesity. Obesity is associated with a long list of health problems and lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, stroke, high-blood pressure, heart disease, and other chronic infections.



Fortunately, those suffering from obesity can turn to surgery for help. Traditionally, change of lifestyle has been the cornerstone of weight loss treatment, but Lap Band Surgery Sydney is now becoming a popular option.

What is lap band surgery?
Lap band surgery also referred to as gastric banding, is a restrictive weight loss surgery. Lap band surgery makes the stomach smaller, consequently limiting the amount of food the stomach can hold. With a smaller pouch, you will eat less and feel full more quickly.

How Lap Band Surgery Helps Patients Lose Weight?
During the lap band surgery, your physician places an adjustable belt or rather ring around the upper part of your stomach. The ring restricts the size of your stomach as well as the amount of food it can hold. Moreover, it also slows down the movement of food to the small intestine for further digestion.

By doing so, it “tricks” the brain into thinking you're full and therefore suppress the production of hunger transmitters. Therefore, when you pouch fills, the same signal is sent to the brain that occurs previously when the entire stomach is filled.

The band, which restricts food in the stomach is made from silicone and can be periodically tightened or loosened by filling or emptying it with saline solution.

Lap Band procedure
Unlike the traditional “open” surgeries, lap band is less invasive and more effective. During the surgery, the surgeon first induces the patients into a coma using general anesthesia, and then make 3 to 5 incisions on the abdomen.

In one of the incision, the surgeon places a laparoscope, while the rest of the incisions are for placing the gastric band and the instrument. By using the laparoscope, the surgeon can accurately guide the gastric band and insert it on the upper part of the stomach with utmost precision.

Finally, a silicone band is inserted through one of the incisions and later secured around the upper part of the stomach with sutures. An injection port connected through tubing is then attached to the lap band and is positioned into the muscle layer of the abdominal wall. And it's through the access port that surgeons can fill or empty the silicone band.

Filling the Lap Band
Immediately after the surgery, the port is left empty to allow patients to recover from the procedure. And after four to six weeks after the initial procedure, the surgeon can now fill the band with saline solution to allow band tightening and restrict food intake.

Post-surgery experience
Since the procedure exercises caution and is safe, most patients can resume their daily activities after a week or two. However, during recovery period, patients are advised to stick to an all-liquid diet to allow their bodies acclimate to the new stomach structure.

Your surgeon should advise you on some of the post-surgery measures to consider.Following the surgery, patient can register gradual weight loss, and noticeable result can be seen after 8-12 months.

Candidacy for lap band
Lap band surgery is not for everyone who wants to lose a few kilos, but rather for those who want to lose a major amount of their weight and keep it off permanently.

Yes, lap band is highly effective and a safe weight loss program, but it should also be accompanied by lifestyle changes. Remember, it's not a quick fix, and if you do not change your diet or lifestyle, you will fail to lose your desired weight.