Diet Blog

Lap band weight loss surgery was introduced in the mid 1990s and has since then been practiced by doctors around the world. Today, it is the preferred form of weight loss surgery. However though lap band surgery was introduced in the 1990s, it was only in June 2001 that it was licensed to be performed in the United States.

Lap band surgery is a favored form of surgery with fewer complications than in other forms of weight loss surgery. Its success is also noted in the reduction of associated health problems of obesity like type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and hypertension. Today, patients spend less time in a hospital after the operation than before. Patients can now resume their work within a week, which is much faster than the 2-3 weeks that was once required to recover from lap band surgery.

The greatest advantage of lap band surgery is of course, the weight loss that arises with the surgery. On an average, a patient loses about 49% of the excess body weight in the body after the surgery. There are also cases of patients losing over 69% of the excess body weight too. Patients opting for lap band surgery usually focuses on the amount of weight loss they experience with the surgery to grade its success. However the main point to take into consideration when deciding on the success of the surgery is if the patient loses sufficient weight to experience improvement in general health and quality of health.

Compared to other forms of weight loss surgeries, lap band surgery is today the least invasive form of weight loss surgery with the least hospitalization time, with quickest recovery. In addition to this, this is the only form of adjustable type of weight loss surgery where adjustments can be made to control the amount of weight that has to be lost. It is also a form of weight loss surgery which can be reversed when needed. Most importantly, lap band surgery avoids the problems that arise with stomach stapling and the rerouting of the intestinal tract that occurs with other weight loss surgeries.

The complications that arise with lap band surgery can be considered to be the generic complications that occur with any other form of surgery. Soreness in the abdominal area, respiratory problems and blood clot formations are some complications of the surgery. The patient will not be able to eat food for fifteen days after the surgery.

Thin fluids in the form of juices and milkshakes are permitted in addition to some lean protein and fresh fruits. Processed foods like cakes, chips, cookies, pies and pastries have to be avoided. Even food like shrimp, pasta, rice, dried fruit, nuts, peanut butter and vegetables should be avoided as it causes blockages after an operation. Whatever food is eaten now has to be chewed thoroughly.

It can be seen that lap band has its pros and cons; however if it is performed by an experienced surgeon, then the incidence and possibility of cons is considerably reduced.