How Does Lap Band Surgery Work?
Lap band surgery helps people lose weight by reducing the size of the stomach to a small pouch formed by placing a restrictive band around the upper part of the stomach. This reduces the amount of food patients can ingest and slows the digestive process, making people feel full after eating small amounts of food.
The band can be adjusted to allow more or less food to enter the stomach. This adjustment, called the “fill,” is performed in the doctor’s office as part of a routine office visit. The first adjustment is usually made about six weeks after the surgical procedure - after the stomach tissue has had time to recover from the surgery.
The adjustment works by inflating or deflating the band - loosening or tightening the restrictive band as needed. Your lap band doctor has expertise to customize the fit of the band to suit your specific condition and can adjust it as your situation evolves. The adjustment is a quick and painless in-office procedure.