LAP-BAND® Revision: What Gastric Band Patients Should Know
LAP-BAND is a minimally invasive procedure promoted as a safe and effective weight loss surgery but many people who have had LAP-BAND surgery are left with poor weight loss outcomes and mild to serious complications.
LAP-BAND revision from the Tijuana, Mexico, bariatric surgeons at Oasis of Hope Bariatrics can increase weight loss and alleviate complications caused by LAP-BAND surgery. For more information about LAP-BAND revision or to find out if you’re a candidate, we welcome you to schedule a consultation at Oasis of Hope Bariatrics.
About LAP-BAND Surgery
During the LAP-BAND procedure, a silicone ring is placed around the stomach. The ring is attached to a port through which the ring is inflated or deflated with saline. Inflating and deflating the ring reduces the size of the stomach and helps reduce the amount of food eaten so that the patient will gradually lose weight.
What Is LAP-BAND Revision?
Our Tijuana surgeons perform LAP-BAND revision by removing an existing LAP-BAND and performing a different, more effective weight loss surgery. Weight loss surgeries that may be performed during a LAP-BAND revision include:
Gastric Sleeve
The gastric sleeve procedure involves the removal of a large portion of the stomach, leaving the remaining portion of the stomach shaped like a sleeve. By physically reducing the size of the stomach, patients will feel full with less food and can more easily lose weight.
Gastric Bypass
During gastric bypass surgery, the stomach size is reduced and the small intestine is rerouted to the newly reduced stomach. By reducing the size of the stomach and rerouting the small intestine, gastric bypass both reduces the amount the patient can eat and reduces the amount of calories the body absorbs.
Mini Gastric Bypass
The mini gastric bypass is similar to a traditional gastric bypass in that it reduces the size of the stomach and reduces absorption of calories. The difference is that mini gastric bypass surgery is shorter in duration and less invasive.
When Is LAP-BAND Revision Necessary?
The LAP-BAND is a foreign object left in the body that will need replacing at some point, even if it has provided the desired weight loss results. In most cases, the LAP-BAND must be removed within 10 years of placement due to complications or loss of effectiveness.
There are many additional reasons LAP-BAND revision may be necessary. For some patients, it may be due to a lack of results while others may experience complications, like chronic nausea or indigestion, that affect their quality of life. Some reasons for LAP-BAND revision include:
- LAP-BAND has slipped so that the stomach pouch is no longer small, allowing more food to be consumed
- Weight loss has stopped or you’re gaining weight
- LAP-BAND is causing nausea or vomiting
- Difficulty swallowing
- Suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Infection from the LAP-BAND
- LAP-BAND erosion into the stomach
Is LAP-BAND Revision Right for You?
For more information about LAP-BAND revision or to discuss which weight loss treatments may be right for you, schedule a consultation with Oasis of Hope Bariatrics in Tijuana today.
