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Important Facts On Lap-band And Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

By Joseph Foster


The use of surgery in weight loss is a practice that has continued to attract a lot of interest all over the world. The main reason is that surgical techniques have been refined over time and are associated with very few complications and failure rates. These procedures are broadly known as bariatric surgeries. Examples include lap-band and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. There are a number of things that you should know if you consider having any of these operations.

It is important to stress that weight loss surgery is a last resort option. One needs to try out other modalities of weight loss. Lifestyle changes are not only easy to implement but also result in very few complications if any. Ensure that you modify your diet so that it contains less calories and has more protein, vegetables of fruits. Reduce stress, get enough sleep and exercise regularly.

The alternative name for lap band surgery is gastric banding. This term has been adopted because of the use of a silicon band in the procedure. When this band is fitted to the upper section of the stomach, the capacity of this organ is significantly reduced. This operation is usually done laparoscopically. This means that only small incisions are required to gain entry into the abdominal cavity.

When the stomach size is reduced, you will eat less than before as only a small amount of food can be held at a given point in time. Your appetite will also be affected as you will be having early satiety during mealtimes. Over time, you will start losing weight since very little of consumed food ends up in tissues as storage.

One of the major advantages of this operation over any other of its type is the fact that it is easy to exert control over. This is enabled by a plastic tubing that runs from the silicon tube to an accessible area under the skin. By filling or emptying this tube with a liquid such as saline or sterile water the effective pressure of the ring can be controlled; filling the tube increases the pressure and emptying it reduces it.

There are several complications that may be encountered in the course of these complications. They include minor bleeding, vomiting, esophageal spasms, infections and leakage of food. Many of these complications can be managed easily. You will be well advised to have a discussion with your surgeon regarding these complications and to assess what your level of risk is.

Complications are few and rare with these operations. Those that are likely to be encountered include nausea, vomiting, minor bleeds, food leakage, esophageal spasms and infections among others. Many of them are fairly easy to manage and resolve within a few days or weeks. Potential candidates need to discuss the possibility of these complications with their surgeons beforehand.

You should appreciate the fact that the results of the operation are bound to vary among patients. These differences exist because of patient and doctor factors. Patient factors may include the severity of the problem, genetic factors or the lifestyle after the operation. The doctor factors may include skill and type of technique used.




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