Laparoscopic Adjustable Banding: Review Details of the Lap Band Surgery San Antonio Offers
Adjustable Banding | Lap Band Surgery
Consider the lap band surgery San Antonio offers at acclaimed BMI of Texas. Your understanding of laparoscopic adjustable banding surgery is critical to making a well-informed weight loss surgery decision. The band is a “belt” with a balloon on the inside. It is placed around the upper part of the stomach creating a small “pouch”. The band works by restricting intake. It makes you feel full after eating only a small amount of food. There is no removing or re-plumbing of the intestines, though the band must be adjusted on a regular basis to be successful. The band is put in “empty” and is progressively tightened to increase restriction and allow for more weight loss.
There are two different types of laparoscopic adjustable banding bands available today. The LAP-BAND has been used in the United States for several years now. The REALIZE Band, which is the most commonly used band in Europe, was approved by the FDA in 2007. They are very similar in nature. Dr. Seger and Dr. Duperier prefer to use the REALIZE Band. It is a soft, low pressure band, and it has a very nice web-based support system called RealizeMySuccess.com, which allows patients a way to “stay connected” to their band and their surgeon.
What to Expect With the Band After Lap Band Surgery
Almost all patients who have lap band surgery are able to go home the same day. In other words, this is considered outpatient, or “same-day” or “in and out” surgery. After the band, we ask you to stay on a liquid diet for 2-3 weeks after surgery. This allows the band to set into place. Remember, we will plan on starting your adjustments around 3 weeks after surgery.
Adjustments: Adjustments or “fills” are done every 3-4 weeks after your operation until you achieve the “right fit”. Remember that the “right fit” may be a moving target because your stomach may shrink as you do. The stomach can also get used to a certain level of tightness, so what seems tight at 2 months may feel loose at 6 months. It is critically important that you honor your commitment to yourself and the band and keep those monthly appointments. After the first year, we are usually able to space these out after you have developed a relationship with your band. Using the website Realizemysuccess.com will greatly help you in this process. We are finding that our patients who use the site regularly are losing more weight than those patients who do not.
If you would like to learn more about the lap band surgery San Antonio offers at BMI of Texas with renowned bariatric surgeons, please contact us to learn more about your options.
