The Lap Band Procedure

The lap band procedure, also known as the Adjustable Gastric Banding System, has been approved by the FDA since 2001 and is now considered the only fully adjustable obesity surgery in the United States. Developed and patented by the BioEnterics company, this weight loss operation has developed a loyal following among surgeons and patients alike, who like the high rate of success for the surgery as well as the relative ease with which the operation is completed and adjusted.

The lap band obesity surgery is a laparoscopic operation, meaning that a camera is used to insert and adjust the lap band device around the stomach - no large incisions are needed. Instead, the lap band weight loss operation calls for the surgeon to make one small incision and use a long instrument to position the lap band device. The lap band device itself is a silicone-based band that is inflatable and flexible. This device is clamped around the top of a patient’s stomach - much like a tight cuff bracelet. This creates a small-capacity stomach and a smaller opening between the stomach and intestines. This obesity surgery makes a patient feel fuller faster and the decreased stomach capacity means that patients have decreased appetite, which naturally leads to weight loss as less food is consumed.