Risks and Benefits of LAP-BAND® Surgery

With various methods of weight loss surgery available, it can become difficult to determine which one is the best option. Important factors to consider when deciding between bariatric surgery options are the procedures' potential benefits and possible risks. The LAP-BAND® has been touted as a safe method of weight loss surgery, but like other surgeries, it is not without risks.

Advantages of the LAP-BAND®

There are numerous benefits to choosing the LAP-BAND® system including:

• Weight loss - With an average of one and half to two pounds lost per week, patients lose weight at a safe, natural rate.
• Adjustable - The saline in the silicone band can be added to or reduced to adjust the size of the opening to the lower stomach.
• Reversible - The gastric band can be removed if necessary.
• Safety - The procedure has the lowest complication rate and lowest mortality rate compared with other weight loss surgeries. It also has a low risk of malnutrition.
• No dumping syndrome - Rapid gastric emptying, referred to as dumping syndrome, can occur with gastric bypass surgery, but not with the LAP-BAND® procedure.
• Minimally invasive -The laparoscopic procedure tends to produce less pain and scarring.
• No stomach stapling or cutting - Unlike gastric bypass surgery, the stomach is bound, not cut.
• Quicker recovery - Compared to other procedures, the LAP-BAND® typically results in a shorter hospital stay and quicker overall recovery.

Possible Risks and Complications

The major surgical LAP BAND® risks are significantly less than more invasive bariatric surgery procedures. Because a laparoscopic procedure is used, there is no opening of the gastric cavity and no cutting, stapling, or bypassing of the intestine, most of the side effects associated with obesity surgery and potential for infection are avoided. The most significant complication associated with the LAP-BAND® procedure is the enlargement or alteration in the size of the upper stomach pouch. This could be caused by slippage of the band or stretching of the wall of the pouch. Additionally, there is the potential risk of the silicone band eroding into the stomach.