Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery

Laparoscopic surgery, also called keyhole surgery, is a modern surgical technique in which operations in the abdomen or pelvis are performed through small incisions (usually a fifth to a half of an inch in length) as compared to larger incisions (often several inches or more in length) needed for traditional, open surgical procedures.

During a laparoscopic procedure, surgeons make a couple of tiny incisions in the abdomen and insert specially designed surgical tools and a tiny camera. This camera transmits information to a video screen so the surgeon can view the surgical area and perform the procedure.

During Adjustable gastric band surgery, the band is fastened around the upper portion of the stomach (much as a watch is fastened around a wrist) to create a new, smaller stomach.

Gastric Band Safety and Reversibility

Since there is no stomach cutting or stapling or gastrointestinal re-routing involved in the adjustable gastric band procedure, it is considered the safest, least invasive, and least traumatic of all weight-loss surgeries. The laparoscopic approach to the surgery also has the advantages of reduced post-operative pain, shortened hospital stay, and quicker recovery. If the gastric bandneeds to be removed, the stomach generally returns to its original form.

Adjustable Weight Loss

The tightness of the gastric band can be adjusted throughout the weight loss process to meet each patient’s needs. If the band is too loose and weight loss is inadequate, more saline can be added to tighten the band and reduce the amount of food that can move through the stomach. If the band is too tight and weight loss is too rapid, the surgeon can remove some saline to loosen the band, allowing for more food intake.

The diameter of the band can be modified to meet your changing individual needs as you lose weight. For example, pregnant patients can expand their band to accommodate the extra food they must eat to support the growing fetus, and patients who aren’t experiencing significant weight loss can have their bands tightened to promote weight loss.