Lap Band Surgery: Complications and Failure

Everyone is aware about the fact that proper diet and regular exercise help to lose weight. However, it is not the same for everyone; those people who suffer from chronic obesity do not lose weight easily. In case of such people, where excess weight poses a serious health risk, bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery is a solution. Bariatric surgery has a success rate of more than 80 percent.

In general, there are three types of weight loss surgeries, namely, restrictive procedure (stomach size is reduced to limit the amount of food intake), malabsorptive techniques (amount of intestine is reduced to control calorie absorption) and combined operations (involving both restrictive and malabsorptive procedures).

Lap Band Surgery

Lap band surgery is a popular technique of bariatric weight loss surgery, which involves restrictive procedure. In lap band surgery, a small pouch (about 15cc) with a narrow passage or stoma (¼ inch) is created at the top portion of the stomach, where food enters from the esophagus. This way, the functional capacity of the stomach is reduced.

Prior to the procedure, blood tests, gastrocopy and imaging studies are conducted to check the safety of the procedure. In the operation, four to five tiny incisions (1 cm) are made in the abdomen and a gastric band is placed around the upper part of the stomach. Thus, a pouch is created.

Lap band surgery helps to lose weight in two ways. Initially, the pouch holds about 1 ounce of food, later it expands and can hold about 2-3 ounces of food. Since the pouch is very small, a person feels satiated after a small serving. Secondly, the stoma empties the food slowly and hence, the person feels full for a longer period.

Lap band surgery has certain advantages over other techniques of bariatric surgery. A major advantage is the calibrated stoma and pouch size, which can be adjusted, according to the person's needs. There is no cutting, stapling or bypassing in the stomach, thus reducing the chances of leakage. In case, an individual faces any sort of problems after the procedure, laparoscopic removal of the gastric band can be done. The procedure is minimally invasive and hence, a patient can be discharged two days after the procedure.

Lap Band Surgery: Complications and Failures

Similar to other weight loss surgeries, bleeding and infection are commonly observed after the surgery. In addition to these, there are certain risks of lap band surgery. Gastric perforation is a major complication, which occurs in one percent of lap band surgery cases. It is caused due to a tear in the wall of the stomach during the procedure. Another problem is slippage of band, in which the stomach goes over the band. This can cause heartburn, nausea and vomiting. In rare cases, the band may erode inside the stomach.

Alteration in the size of pouch is a common side-effect of lap band surgery. The pouch may enlarge due to stretching of its wall. Other complications include deflation of band causing leakage, difficulty in swallowing, blockage of the stoma, dehydration, gastritis, constipation, ulceration and other digestive problems.

In addition to these complications, there are chances that the surgery may fail. In case, the surgeon undertaking the surgery is inexperienced, there is a high chance of failure. To reduce the risk of complications, it is always recommended to undergo the procedure under a qualified surgeon. Another reason of failure is opting an inappropriate diet plan after the procedure. Post surgery, the patient has to follow a strict diet and especially avoid tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages. The patient should abstain from chips, sweets and baked foods.

Before going for lap band surgery, one needs to understand the procedure and analyze the pros and cons of the same. After the procedure, one need to exercise regularly and follow a proper diet plan, as directed by a qualified nutritionist. In case of any complications, it is advisable to consult the concerned physician to avoid any further health problems.