The Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band Is An Increasingly Popular Choice

The laparoscopic adjustable gastric band procedure is fast becoming the weight-loss choice for the majority of overweight Americans.

If you’re one of those people who makes New Year’s resolutions then you probably won’t be surprise to learn that losing weight is the most popular resolution, followed closely by improving overall health.

For an increasing number of individuals who are clinically obese the solution to their weight loss problem will be found in gastric bypass surgery.

One weight-loss option (recently approved by the FDA) is the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band procedure (LAP-BAND®) which is proving especially popular. Indeed, recent figures show that out of approximately 170,000 weight-loss procedures performed during 2005 almost one-third were lap band procedures.

The lap band procedure uses a laparoscope to position a silicone ring around the top of the stomach, dividing the stomach into two parts – a small stomach pouch and the larger remaining stomach section. The principle behind the lap band is simply to restrict the amount of food that an individual can eat and thus to force the body to begin using up fat reserves and so reduce weight.

The benefit of the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band procedure is that it is less invasive than other forms of gastric bypass surgery and is adjustable following surgery so that it can be customized to suit individual needs. Also, despite the fact that the quantity of food which an individual can eat is reduced, there are no special diet requirements and people undergoing lap band surgery can enjoy the same foods as others who do not have weight-loss surgery.

In a recent study, Paul E. O’Brien M.D., the National Medical Director for the American Institute of Gastric Banding, showed that the lap band procedure is significantly more effective at reducing weight and improving general health than non-surgical weight-loss programs. This study also confirmed the findings of previous studies and demonstrated that the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band offers a successful and permanent solution for those individuals who are some 40 pounds or more overweight.

Another great benefit of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding lies in its ability to meet our second most popular resolution of improving our health. In this respect lap band surgery can help to reduce, or even eliminate, such problems as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea and high cholesterol.