In today’s times, weight loss surgery has advanced, over the last fifty years surgery has improved with such procedures like gastric lap band surgery. The risks that were associated with gastric banding have also lessened from the most earliest forms of gastric bypass surgery. Even with these improvements it is recommended you discuss your questions with your surgeon before having any procedure.

What is Gastric Lap Band?

Is an inflatable ring device which is implanted during surgery and will divide the stomach into two parts. The reason for the separation is to make the upper stomach small and this will control your intake of food. By controlling the food into the small intestine you will feel full for longer and will not have the desire to continue to eat.

With this form of gastric lap band operation there is no need to cut and staple the stomach and only a small cut is required to fix the lap band. The operation takes less than one hour and you will not need to be in hospital for less than an day.

Risks of Gastric Lap Band Surgery

Gastric lap band surgery does carry it own risks that are associated with this form of surgery as well as the risks that come with any surgery. On top of this there are other risks with surgery and over weight people.

One of the most serious risks is death, gastric lap band as been around for over twelve years and it has been estimated that less than one percent die from this form of surgery. A study in Australia was carried out for laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery which covered over 2700 patients and it was reported that here was zero deaths since 1994. Of course there are many factors involved and one of them would be the experience of the surgeon.

Many of the risks associated with this procedure is more of a general one than a specific gastric band surgery, such as weight, age and reactions to anesthesia. The main risk for gastric lap band surgery is called gastric perforation which is a tear of the stomach wall and typically occurs in one percent of all surgeries.

The majority of complications that occur due to the surgery are post operation and can occur weeks and some times months later. Generally they will range from mild to serve in nature. Around one third of the problems are regurgitation and half of them will suffer from nausea and vomiting. Around twenty five percent will suffer from gastric band slippage. Some more serve complications are erosion of the band or leakage of the access port.

Generally speaking gastric lap band surgery carries fewer risks and complications compared to other forms of weight loss surgeries. But never less the risks are there so you should discuss with your surgeon before you undertake the procedure.