Adjustable Gastric Band
Adjustable Gastric Band Surgery (Lap-Band®, Realize-C®)
The Adjustable Gastric Band (AGB) is an inflatable device placed around the top of the stomach to create a tiny (less than 5-10ml, less than a third of an ounce) pouch. This band is connected by thin tubing to an access port underneath the skin. The band is adjusted by inflating or deflating it with saline through this port. This causes a variable amount of resistance to the food stream as it crosses the narrowing in the stomach created by the band. This resistance translates into satiety resulting in hunger control and it induces fullness with a small portion of food. Adjustments to the band are done incrementally until the right amount of restriction is achieved.
Two types of bands are available in the US.
 |
About 60% excess weight loss has been reported. |
|
Improvement in all major co-morbidities such as sleep apnea, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, heartburn and depression has been documented. |
|
No intestinal absorption problems. |
|
Patients can usually return home after surgery the same day or within 24 hours. |
|
