Lap band surgery is performed laparoscopically (through several incisions less than 1 cm long), so it’s minimally invasive—but it still requires general anesthesia. The procedure typically takes less than 45 minutes.
With laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, your surgeon makes a few small incisions on your belly to allow access for a camera, the lap band, and long, thin surgical instruments.Â
They then insert the lap band into your abdominal cavity and wrap it around your stomach, an inch or two below where it meets your esophagus.Â
Tightening the band around your stomach, your surgeon makes a holding pouch that’s much smaller than your whole stomach.
Then they fill the lap band with enough saline fluid (salt water) to snugly hold the band in place, while leaving enough of an opening for food to slowly exit the small pouch and make its way into your full stomach for normal digestion (so there's no risk of malabsorption, as in the case of a duodenal switch, another type of weight loss surgery).Â
They’ll also set up an access port under your skin to allow for additional surgeries, to make adjustments in the future.
You should be able to go home the same day, once you recover from the anesthesia. Make sure you have someone there to take you home.
