Could You Be Suitable For Lap Band Weight Loss Surgery?

There are various types of obesity surgery available today including the quite new procedure of gastric lap banding which is growing in popularity and is rapidly becoming the favorite choice for many severely overweight or morbidly obese individuals. But would you make a suitable candidate for gastric lap band weight loss surgery?

In answering this question we will begin by assuming that you are a suitable candidate for obesity surgery generally and that your only concern therefore is whether or not you should be considering lap banding. In very simple terms this would mean that you are over 18, are severely overweight with a body mass index (BMI) in excess of 40 (or over 35 with at least one co-morbid condition and that you have previously tried traditional weight loss methods (including possible drug treatment) without success.

It is commonly believed that people facing weight loss surgery are simply overweight and it is very easy to forget that individuals who are severely overweight are often suffering from several other conditions, many of which arise out of the fact that they are overweight. It is the existence of these other conditions that often presents an obstacle when it comes to choosing between different surgical options.

Because lap banding is a type of restrictive surgery where the stomach is physically reduced in size to limit the quantity of food which can pass through the stomach and digestive system, this form of surgery is unlikely to be suitable if your esophagus, stomach or intestine are in any way abnormal. Such abnormality could be congenital or acquired and a common problem experienced is a narrowing at one or more points along the digestive tract.

Difficulties within the stomach or esophagus which could result in bleeding (such as esophageal or gastric varices – a dilated vein) would also rule out gastric lap banding, as will problems at the site at which the band would be placed around the stomach, such as an injury, scarring or gastric perforation.

Problems might also arise if you are suffering from any form of inflammation or inflammatory condition within the gastrointestinal tract like ulcers, esophagitis or Crohn’s disease.

Finally, lap band weight loss surgery is not suitable for pregnant women or where pregnancy is being contemplated. If a woman becomes pregnant after lap band surgery it is possible to deflate the band to allow for the higher nutritional requirement however, where loosening the band is not sufficient, the band might have to be removed.

One advantage of lap band surgery is that the procedure can be reversed and, if it is necessary, the band can be removed returning the stomach to its previous state. But, this can also be a disadvantage of the system. Motivation is the key to any type of obesity surgery but becomes a particular issue in the case of lap band surgery. Should you have any doubt about how determined you are to succeed then this form of surgery may not be a good option for you.