Tag: abdomen

LAP-Band Surgery

Posted by admin – July 28, 2008

LAP-Band Surgery is a type of weight loss surgery that alters the stomach’s original condition to help reduce food intake. The surgery got its name from the device that is placed around the top of the stomach to limit the amount of food you eat.  The Lap-band is simply an adjustable silicone gastric belt implanted around the stomach to make you to control your hunger, eat less and feel full sooner. One distinct advantage of the Lap-Band system is that you are able to adjust the band, through a port, which can be inflated as time goes by to make you lose weight faster.

Not all obese people can be eligible for the Lap-Band surgery, only people that have a body mass index between 35 to 39 with complications such as diabetes and hypertension can be considered candidates for the said surgery. People with BMI over 40 are also eligible candidates of the Lap-Band. The eligibility criteria for the surgery is needed so that the costs can be subsidized by the National Institute of Health or the individual’s insurance policy, however, if one does not pass the criteria for the surgery, he can actually pay for the cost of the surgery himself

LAP-Band Surgery is done by making a series of small incisions, with your surgeon making use of a camera, called a laparoscope, to see where to place the Lap-Band.  The Lap-Band is then placed around the stomach and held in place with sutures. As mentioned, the Lap-band system has with it a port which enables the person to adjust the device.  This port is placed under the skin on the upper part of the abdomen.  After having everything in place, usually an hour, the surgery is considered done.

Recovery after this weight loss surgery is fast and will enable you to return to doing your normal activities the week following the surgery.  Discomfort associated with the surgery is minimal.  A nutritional plan has to be followed in order to help your stomach adjust to its new anatomy.  Initially, the nutritional plan will consist of liquid diet and then will slowly reintroduce soft foods and solid foods later when you will be able to tolerate it. Exercise programs will also be recommended by your medical practitioner to help in the recovery process.

Frequent follow-up visits are necessary so that band adjustments can be made.  These adjustments are done by injecting a saline solution in the port to tighten the band. On the average, it would take six to eight band adjustments in the first eighteen months after a Lap-Band surgery.

This weight loss system will enable a patient to lose 50% of excess body weight approximately two years after the procedure.  Because of this weight loss, additional plastic surgery may be needed to be done to achieve ideal body figure. The surgery can cost between $17000 to $20000 depending on the state where the surgery is to be performed.  However, despite this cost, many people prefer to have a Lap-Band surgery to help them solve their weight problems.

Gastric Bypass Surgery

Posted by admin – July 21, 2008

Weight loss surgery, also known as bariatic surgery, changes the anatomy of an individual’s digestive system to limit the intake of food.  Since being obese holds with it other serious medical conditions, surgery can prove to be helpful in lowering the risk associated with these conditions.

The most common and favored bariatric surgery in the United States is gastric bypass. Surgeons prefer this type of weight loss system because it is generally safer and has fewer complications.  The effects of a gastric bypass are also long-term and can lead to continual weight loss when behavioral adjustments are made. However, gastric bypass is not for everyone who is dealing with obesity. Before considering undergoing the surgery, you must be able to know what the things are involved during and after the procedure.

Gastric bypass surgury is done by creating a small pouch on top of your stomach. The surgeon will then bypass the route of the food from this pouch directly to the small intestine. Usually, the size of this pouch resembles that of a walnut and can only hold an ounce of food.  Bypassing the lower portion of the stomach will not lead to any disruption of the digestive process since it continues to secrete digestive juices which mix with the food in the small intestine. By having the food bypass directly to the second section of the small intestine, your ability to absorb calories is reduced significantly. Traditionally, this operation is done by “opening” the stomach but recent development in technology allows a less invasive procedure to be done through the aid of a laparoscope, a small camera which is inserted in your abdomen to see around the area. Typically, this surgery is done under general anesthesia and takes four hours to complete.  You may be required to stay in the hospital for three to five days post-surgery so that the hospital staff can monitor you for any complications.

Recovery after the surgery involves not being allowed to eat one to three days post-operation to allow your stomach to heal.  A specific diet will also be planned out for you for the next twelve weeks, starting with liquids and slowly, moving to pureed foods, and finally to regular foods. Since your stomach is reduced to such a small size, you have to expect to eat very small meals each day.  You have to anticipate that eating too much or too fast in the first six months after surgery will make you vomit or feel intense pain on the upper part of your abdomen. Your food intake will eventually increase but rest is assured that you won’t go back to your normal eating habits. Other changes that you might experience due to rapid weight loss caused by the surgery can include drier skin, hair thinning, mood changes, and body aches.

Undergoing this weight loss surgery has several benefits including a good 50% – 60 % weight loss which can be long term if dietary and exercise recommendations are met. It can also improve or cure medical conditions like high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and type 2 diabetes. Gastric by pass surgery is now considered a common procedure, but it is surgery and as such shouldn’t be taken lightly as there are major risks.