Lap-band surgery in East Texas
At UT Health Tyler Bariatric Center, our compassionate team of weight loss surgeons is dedicated to providing effective weight loss solutions tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Specializing in advanced weight loss surgery, our weight loss clinic offers lap-band surgery, a reversible bariatric surgery procedure known for excellent weight loss outcomes. Our experienced bariatric surgeons are committed to guiding you through every step of your weight loss journey, ensuring you receive the highest quality care at our state-of-the-art weight loss center. Discover a new path to health and wellness with our personalized weight loss procedures at UT Health Tyler.
About lap-band surgery
Lap-band bariatric surgery, also known as laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, is a weight loss procedure that involves placing an adjustable silicone band around the upper portion of the stomach. This creates a small stomach pouch above the band, with the rest of the stomach below. The band can be tightened or loosened over time by adding or removing saline solution through a port placed under the skin. This adjustability allows for personalized weight loss management.
A gastric band works in two ways:
- Reduced appetite: While restriction is the main effect, some patients with a gastric band do experience less hunger.
- Restriction: Having the band in place makes a person fill up on less food. The band needs to be adjusted over time to achieve just the right amount of restriction. The type of food consumed has a large effect on how much restriction is experienced. Liquid, slippery foods will easily pass through the banded area. With a gastric band, as with all weight-loss surgeries, you have to cooperate with restrictive changes and avoid habits of “eating around” the restriction by having only soft, slippery foods or by frequent snacking or “grazing.”
Unlike other bariatric surgeries, lap-band is minimally invasive, reversible, and does not involve cutting or stapling the stomach or rerouting the intestines. However, it requires a high level of commitment to dietary changes and follow-up adjustments, and weight loss tends to be slower compared to other bariatric procedures.
It’s crucial to your success that you follow up with your doctor regularly. You do not want a band that is too tight or too loose, as neither is good for weight loss and can lead to complications. During your regular appointments, your doctor will help manage the band to ensure a proper fit.
