Laparoscopic gastric banding is surgery to help with weight-loss. The surgeon fixes a band around the upper part of your stomach to create a small pouch to hold food. It limits the amount of food you can eat by making you feel full after eating small amounts of food. The surgeon can 

adjust the band after surgery to make food pass more slowly or quickly through your stomach.

Why the Procedure is Performed?

Weight-loss surgery may be an option if you are severely obese and have not been able to lose weight through diet modification  or exercise. It is not a "quick fix" for obesity though. On the contrary, it will greatly alter your lifestyle. Doctors often use the body mass index (BMI) measures to identify people who may be most likely to benefit from this surgery. This procedure is more likely to be recommended if you have:

• a BMI of 40 or more. That most often means that men are 100 pounds (45 kg) overweight and women are 80 pounds (36 kg) over their ideal weight.

• a BMI of 35 or more and a serious medical condition that might improve with weight loss like those of sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

How Procedure is Performed?

1. The procedure is done under general anaesthesia

2. Surgeon will make 1-5 small surgical cuts in your abdomen. Through these small cuts, he or she will place a camera and the instruments needed to perform the surgery . (laparoscopic surgery)

3. Surgeon will place a band around the upper part of your stomach to separate it from the lower part creating  a small pouch that has a narrow opening that goes into the larger, lower part of your stomach.

4. The surgery does not involve any cutting or stapling inside your belly.

5. Procedure may last only 30-60 minutes if your surgeon is experienced enough.

6. When you eat after having this surgery, the small pouch will fill up quickly leaving you feel full after eating just a small amount of food. 

7. The food in the small upper pouch will slowly empty into the main part of your stomach.

What are the Risks Involved? 

• allergic reactions to medicines

• breathing issues

• blood clotting in the legs that may spread to your lungs

• blood loss

• Infection at the surgery site, lungs (pneumonia), bladder or kidney

• heart attack or stroke during or after surgery

• Gastric band erodes through the stomach (in that case it must be removed).

• Stomach may slip up through the band. (needs immediate surgery)

• Gastritis, heartburn, or stomach ulcers.

• Infection in the port which may need treated with antibiotics or surgery.

• Injury to your stomach, intestines, or other organs during surgery.

• Poor nutrition.

• Scarring inside belly, that could lead to a blockage in your bowel.

• Your surgeon may not be able to reach the access port to tighten or loosen the band (you may require minor surgery to fix this problem).

• The tubing near the access port can be accidentally punctured during a needle access. If this happens the band cannot be tightened (you may require minor surgery to resolve this problem.)

• Bouts of vomiting after eating more than your stomach pouch can hold.

After the Procedure

You will probably go home the day of surgery. Most people are  able to resume their normal activities 1-2 days after going home. Most people would take 1 week off from work.

You will stay on liquids or mashed-up foods for 2-3 weeks after surgery. By app.6 weeks after surgery, you will probably be able to eat regular foods.

Alternative Names

Lap-Band; LAGB - Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding; Bariatric surgery - laparoscopic gastric banding; Obesity - gastric banding; Weight loss - gastric banding