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The LAP-BAND® System is a minimally invasive, adjustable surgical treatment for morbid obesity. It helps patients with weight loss by restricting the amount of food that can be consumed at one time.

Least Invasive Obesity Surgery
Like a wrist-watch, the band is fastened around the upper stomach, acting to limit the amount of food that can be comfortably eaten at a time. Patients experience an earlier sensation of fullness and are physically satisfied with smaller amounts of food. Since there is no cutting, stapling, or stomach re-routing involved in the LAP-BAND® System procedure, it is considered the least invasive of all weight loss surgeries. The surgeon generally makes five tiny incisions and uses long, slender instruments to implant the device. Patients often go home the same day and typically return to work within a week after surgery.

Adjustable Treatment
The LAP-BAND® System is an adjustable silicone band with an inflatable inner surface. It is connected to an access port below the skin surface by silicone tubing. The port allows the surgeon to adjust the size of the LAP-BAND® System to meet individual patient weight loss needs by adding or removing saline to inflate or deflate the band. This impacts the amount and consumption rate of food. Adjustments to the band are performed with a needle accessing the port, generally in the office. The frequency of the adjustments is determined by the patient’s weight loss, the amount of food that can be comfortably eaten, the exercise regimen, and other issues surrounding the patient’s health, as well as the amount of fluid already in the patient’s band.

Reversible Procedure
The procedure can be reversed. If necessary, all of the system components can be removed from the body with no damage to the digestive organs. The stomach will generally return to its original form and capacity once the band is removed.

Living with the LAP-BAND®
The LAP-BAND® is a tool that patients can use to lose weight. Patients can optimize their weight loss by making appropriate changes to their eating and exercise habits, as well as keeping their scheduled LAP-BAND® adjustment appointments. For the first year after placement of the LAP-BAND®, patients may need to have their band adjusted every 4-6 weeks. Nutrition, behavior-modification and counseling support services are available for patients through Catholic Medical Center’s Obesity Treatment Center.

LAP-BAND® System is FDA-Approved
To date, over 250,000 patients worldwide have undergone the LAP-BAND® System procedure. Since the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the LAP-BAND® System in June 2001, interest in and use of the LAP-BAND® System has been rapidly growing in the U.S. In line with its FDA-approved guidelines for indications, the LAP-BAND® System is intended for people who are morbidly obese—those who are at least 100 pounds overweight or who are at least twice their ideal body weight. The term "morbidly" connotes the fact that individuals who carry this much excess weight face an increased risk of developing a number of serious health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoarthritis.

Gastric Bypass
The gastric bypass procedure involves dividing the stomach and forming a small gastric pouch. The new gastric pouch is connected to the small intestine using a Y-shaped limb of small bowel of varying lengths (Roux-N-Y gastric bypass). Roux-N-Y gastric bypass is the "gold standard" procedure and offers the best results to complications ratio.