ObesityCare.com's mission is to provide information about severe obesity and the treatment there of. Our service is informational only. To find a doctor who can do your gastric bypass surgery or lap band procedure, we recommend using ObesityDirectory.com. It is a nation wide directory (United States) and all of the bariatric surgeons listed are members of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

Like every operation, there is a risk. Because you may already have health-related problems, there is an increased risk of complications. Your doctor should thoroughly screen you to make sure that there are no surprises on the operating table.

After the stomach stapling surgery, most doctors recommend you exercise to help you lose the weight more quickly. Regular exercise can usually proceed after 6 weeks, but consult your doctor. If the lap band surgery is performed laparoscopically, patients typically spend less than 24 hours in the hospital. It takes most patients about a week to return to work and a month to six weeks to resume exercising. In the case of open surgery or if there are complications, recovery may take longer.

The LAP-BAND® System is a silicone band that is placed around the stomach, creating a small upper stomach pouch that prevents a patient from eating excessively. It is only a restrictive device (not a malabsorptive one), and can be adjusted and/or removed, if necessary. The procedure to place the band is done laparoscopically on an outpatient basis, so our patients go home the same day as surgery in most cases.

Many surgeons have reported that gastric bypass patients lose weight faster in the first year. At five years, however, many LAP-BAND patients have achieved weight loss comparable to that of gastric bypass patients.1 Focus on long-term weight loss and remember that it is important to lose weight gradually while reducing obesity-related risks and improving your health.

Gastric bypass surgery provides an effective tool to limit the amount of food eaten and to change how food calories are absorbed. It must be understood that the surgery is not magic: it works with you, not for you. By working consistantly to make appropriate food choices and behavioral changes, a successful, long-term health impact is possible.

I do not think that one surgery is best for all because, well, how to define "better"? No surgery is ideal. Having no surgery is not ideal, either, and could be dangerous. Among the available surgical options, I perform routinely the gastric bypass (both the laparoscopic, and the open via a relatively small incision) and the adjustable gastric banding (Lap Band). Each procedure has its advantages and disadvantages.

Put simply, LAP-BAND® System bariatric surgery, when performed using laparoscopic techniques, does not require a large incision like that created in traditional gastric bypass surgery. By using small incisions and long, slender instruments, the LAP-BAND® System avoids cutting the stomach and stapling or rerouting the gastrointestinal tract to bypass normal food digestion.

Despite the billions of dollars spent yearly by consumers on weight loss programs and dietary supplements, no medical treatment has been demonstrated to sustain a long term weight loss in a significant number of men or women. In fact, the 1992 NIH consensus statement concerning obesity asserts that medical treatment is considered ineffective in 95% of patients.

You have failed repeated, medically-supervised attempts at losing weight and controlling your obesity You are 100 pounds over your ideal body weight and have a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than or equal to 40, or a BMI of 35 (approximately 80 pounds over ideal body weight) if you have a serious associated medical complication or other obesity-related disease(s) You have had a consultation with one of our Bariatric Surgeons and have been determined to be a surgical candidate.

The surgery is not a cosmetic procedure, but rather, a course of last resort for people who are at least 100 pounds over their ideal weight and have a body mass index (BMI) of over 40. Patients with a slightly lower BMI may be considered for the procedure if they have other obesity-related problems such as Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or sleep apnea.

is true with any operation, there are complications associated with gastric bypass surgery. One of the most serious is leakage where the stomach pouch meets the small intestine. With no treatment, approximately one in four gastric bypass patients will develop gallstones following surgery. That is why a bile thinning medication is prescribed after surgery. Some other complications include abdominal hernia, wound infection, and bowel obstruction.