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Post-surgical care one year after Lap-Band®

March 8, 2020

If you’ve had the Lap-Band® Procedure for a year or longer, by now you know that your life looks drastically different than it did one year ago. However, if you’re still considering the procedure and how your life will change, this blog is for you. Read on to learn more about what you can expect one year after the Lap-Band Surgery.

At about six months after you have the Lap-Band Procedure, your stomach will be healed. Your first adjustments will happen four to six weeks after surgery, and you may have had one or two more adjustments around the six-month period. At the one-year mark, you may have stabilized and will no longer require adjustments to your band to increase or stabilize weight loss. If you have plateaued and aren’t losing weight for more than three weeks, and you aren’t at your goal weight, you may require another adjustment to the band.

You will see results fairly quickly after having the Lap-Band Procedure. So what does weight loss will look like one year after the procedure? With the Lap-Band, patients lose weight slowly and steadily. After just one year, most patients have achieved their weight-loss goals. Studies show that 46% of excess weight is lost after one year passes. If patients had comorbid diseases related to excess weight when they had the surgery, the conditions have typically improved or reversed by this point.

The six months following the procedure may be difficult for some as they adjust to new life patterns, including eating new foods, eating less, chewing slowly and mindfully, and being more active. By one year, patients have typically adjusted to their new, healthier lifestyle. The Lap-Band is a great tool for weight loss, but it requires a commitment to lifelong change. Even after drastic weight loss one year after the procedure, patients will still need to maintain their commitment to a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Source:

  • Dixon John, O’Brien Paul. Health Outcomes of Severely Obese Type 2 Diabetic Subjects 1 Year After Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding. Diabetes Care, Volume 25, Number 2. February 2002.

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Important Lap-Band® System Safety Information

The Lap-Band System is indicated for weight reduction for patients with obesity, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 40 kg/m2 or a BMI of at least 30 kg/m2 with one or more obesity-related comorbid conditions. It is indicated for use only in adult patients who have failed more conservative weight reduction alternatives, such as supervised diet, exercise and behavior modification programs. Patients who elect to have this surgery must make the commitment to accept significant changes in their eating habits for the rest of their lives.

The Lap-Band System is not recommended for non-adult patients (patients under 18 years of age), patients with conditions that may make them poor surgical candidates or increase the risk of poor results, who are unwilling or unable to comply with the required dietary restrictions, or who currently are or may be pregnant.

The Lap-Band System is a long-term implant. Explant and replacement surgery may be required. Patients who become pregnant or severely ill, or who require more extensive nutrition may require deflation of their bands. Anti-inflammatory agents, such as aspirin, should be used with caution and may contribute to an increased risk of band erosion.

Placement of the Lap-Band System is major surgery and, as with any surgery, death can occur. Possible complications include the risks associated with the medications and methods used during surgery, the risks associated with any surgical procedure, and the patient’s ability to tolerate a foreign object implanted in the body. Most common related adverse events include: Band slippage, pouch dilation, stoma obstruction, gastroesophageal reflux, esophageal dilation, cholelithiasis, incisional infection, abdominal pain, gastroenteritis, or nausea and vomiting may occur. Reoperation may be required. Rapid weight loss may result in complications that may require additional surgery. Deflation of the band may alleviate excessively rapid weight loss or esophageal dilation.

Important: For full safety information please click here or talk with your doctor.