LapBand Surgery: Common Risks and Complications
Those who suffer from severe or morbid obesity often opt for the LapBand surgery. With surgery, an adjustable gastric band, known as the LapBand, is used to reduce stomach size. This can assist with weight loss. Although deemed a successful and relatively safe way to lose weight, there are risk and complications.
When researching the LapBand system, you will see safety as an advantage. Yes, this is true. With that said, it is important to remember that the LapBand procedure is a surgery. Although no stomach stapling is involved, like with traditional gastric bypass surgeries, there are still risks. All surgical procedures, no matter how large or small, carry some dangers.
Unfortunately, those who suffer from obesity are more likely to experience surgery related complications. This seems like a lose lose situation. You are obese. After all, that is why you are seeking weight loss surgery. It is important to follow all doctor recommendations and choose a quality and certified surgeon. When you do so, your risks of LapBand complications are drastically reduced.
In terms of complications, most occur in the days or weeks following surgery. One complication or side effect of the LapBand system is regurgitation. This is caused by the blockage of food. Luckily, it is easy to avoid. Take small bites, wait before eating a second bite, eat slowly, chew food, and stop eating when full. These steps can reduce the risk of regurgitation; however, it may be due to surgical complications. If regurgitation occurs, no matter what steps you take, speak to your doctor. Your LapBand may be too tight.
Another complication of LapBand surgery is band slippage. Slippage is rare, but it can occur. In most cases, you will notice pain and discomfort. You may even find it difficult to sallow liquids, let alone eat food. As previously stated, slippage of the LapBand is rare, but contact your doctor immediately if you feel it may be an issue. If not treated, complete obstruction can occur.
Acid reflux is another common side effect of the LapBand system. Acid reflux leads to the production and buildup of acid in the stomach. The most common sign is heartburn. Although many individuals experience bouts of heartburn, including those who havent had surgery, acid reflux should not be ignored. It is a sign that your band may need adjusting.
Although not necessarily considered a dangerous complication, no weight loss is a complication of surgery. It has to do with band positioning. It is common for adjustments to be made following surgery. If you are not experiencing the weight loss anticipated by your surgeon, speak to him or her. An adjustment to the LapBand is needed. Luckily, this should not involve surgery. A thin needed and saline is used for LapBand adjustments.
As previously stated, LapBand adjustments are common. For that reason, they are not technically considered a risk or complication. Each patients weight loss needs vary and changes overtime. For that reason, expect to have your band adjusted. Do not fret when it is suggested.
As a recap, all surgical procedures have some form of risk and complication. With that said, you may take comfort in knowing that many studies have shown the LapBand is a relatively safe weight loss surgery. The risk of morality, minor and major complications is lower than with alternatives.
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LapBand Surgery and Its Alternatives
The LapBand surgery is a weight loss procedure that has increased in popularity in the United States. Those suffering from severe to morbid obesity, turn to the LapBand to lose weight and improve their health. Unfortunately, the LapBand isnt the best option for most. If you need professional help losing weight, it is important to examine all of your options. This includes the LapBand surgery, as well as alternatives.
The LapBand System
As previously stated, the LapBand system has increased in popularity in the United States. This is due to its high success rate, low recovery period, and low risk of complications. With the LapBand system, an adjustable gastric band is just to decrease the size of the stomach. This, in a way, forces patients to eat less, which results in weight loss.
Although the LapBand surgery is known for its low complication rate, complications do occur. Surgeons have a strict set of criteria they use to determine surgery eligibility. Those who are between the ages of 18 and 60 and who are in relatively good health are ideal candidates for the LapBand system. Due to the risks, surgeons prefer to operate on those who are severely obese. This translates into an average Body Mass Index (BMI) rating of 40 or higher. Most importantly is a clear understanding of the surgery and what is expected of the patient.
In terms of expectations, diet restrictions are a must. Due to a smaller stomach pouch, diet restrictions are necessary not only to lose weight, but to reduce post-surgery complications. Eating too much food can result in band slippage, acid reflux, and regurgitation. In the weeks following surgery, patients work through various stages, which include clear liquids, full liquids, pureed foods, soft foods, and solid foods.
Gastric Bypass Surgery
In many instances, gastric bypass surgery is similar to the LapBand procedure. The post surgery diet is similar. Instead of using an adjustable gastric band, stomach cutting and stapling is involved. In the United States, there are two main types of gastric bypass surgery; Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Biliopancreatic Diversion.
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass is the most commonly performed gastric bypass procedure in the United States. The stomach is stapled to create a smaller stomach pouch. Next, the small intestine is rerouted to the pouch. This process allows food to bypass the jejunum and duodenum. Although successful, in terms of weight loss, the rerouting of the small intestine has been known to cause a decrease in nutrient and calorie absorption.
Biliopancreatic Diversion is also known as extensive gastric bypass. This is the most complicated form of weight loss surgery. Unlike the LapBand system and the Roux-en-Y because the stomach is not just reduced in size, but the lower portion is removed. This procedure is not only permanent, but risky. For that reason, it is less common in the Untied States, but still available to select patients.
Diet and Exercise
Those suffering from extreme obesity opt for weight loss procedures. While a healthy lifestyle that includes diet and exercise is needed to see success with all weight loss surgeries, patients always have the option to rely just on it.
Due to risks and complications, not all patients are deemed ideal candidates for weight loss surgery. Those patients are encouraged to lose weight through diet and exercise. Although it will be a long and stressful process, it is a natural and safe way to lose weight. Professional help can come from a personal trainer and nutrition expert.
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Gastric Bypass Downside
Gastric bypass surgeries are the most common bariatric surgical procedures performed, nowadays. Bariatric surgical procedures is the term used to refer to weight-loss surgeries. There are more and more people who are choosing to have the procedure to avoid the risks brought by morbid obesity.
There are numerous benefits by getting a gastric bypass surgery. Those who have undergone the surgery were expected to lose about 50 to 60% of their weight. Most of the patients would say that they reached the lowest point of their weight two years after their surgery.
In addition to weight loss, gastric bypass surgery could also resolve health issues associated to obesity. They could improve or lessen the risk of Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, sleep apnea, asthma, arthritis, joint pain, and even heart disease and cancer.
Those who have undergone gastric bypass surgical procedures are also exposed to risks and complications just like in any other surgery. When considering getting this kind of weight-loss procedure, it is not only the benefits that you would have to know but also its risks and dangers.
Pulmonary Embolism is a condition where blood clots developing in the legs which can get carried off to the lungs. There are techniques which can be performed to prevent this kind of condition to happen like using surgical compression stockings.
Peritonitis is also another condition when stomach fluid leaks into the abdominal cavity or where the intestine is connected. There is a need to immediately seal the leak before it becomes a serious condition.
Ulcers can develop among patients, 5 to 15 percent of the time.
It could also result to hernia or incision hernia which is a weakness in the incision. It would often require surgical repair.
There are situations when the stomach moves too fast for the small intestine. This is often referred to as the dumping syndrome. It is often accompanied with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and sweating.
Vitamin and mineral deficiency are also possible complications of the surgery like anemia and vitamin D deficiency.
It could also cause problems in the kidney like kidney stones.
Gallstones could also be a result of this operation.
Stomach ulcers could also develop but this could be managed by the usual treatments used for ulcers.
Women who went through the procedure are recommended to avoid pregnancy for at least two years after the surgery. Pregnant women are required to take nutritional supplements like vitamins and minerals to get the proper nutrients for her and the baby.
Gastric bypass surgeries are not recommended for everybody. It is often recommended to those who have a BMI of 40 or those who weigh more than a hundred pounds. Everybody who would be undergoing the procedure would have to take a mental exam, for those who eat due to emotional problems are likely to fail in losing weight.
Gastric bypass surgeries have 2% of fatalities, one percent due to complications and the other one percent would brought by the failure of the patients to follow the dietary restrictions following the surgery. Before undergoing the procedure, it is important to understand these consequences and be prepared to change our lifestyle.
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Gastric Bypass And Other Treatments For Obesity
Gastric bypass surgery is the most common method used to lose weight brought by morbid obesity. Experts would estimate an average of 140,000 surgeries being performed annually. With this kind of procedure, a small pouch is made in the stomach by stapling it. The middle portion of the small intestine is connected to the rest of the stomach. Food will bypass the small pouch and the upper part of the intestine. The size of the stomach is reduced, thus also reducing the food that it could take.
Although it is the most popular procedure, there are other bariatric surgeries or weight loss surgeries.
Lap-Band adjustable gastric binding is another type of weight loss surgery. In this procedure, an inflatable band is tightened like a belt and will divide the stomach in to two pouches. However, weight loss results are slower than gastric bypass surgery. Also the pounds shed could be less than the amount of lost weight with gastric bypass.
A part of the stomach is also stapled with vertical banded gastroplasty. The stomach is divided into two parts, but there is not intestinal bypass. This would just make the patient eat less since the stomach has limited space for the food. Losing weight using this procedure is not as tremendous as gastric bypass results, nor could it sustain weight loss for longer period of time.
The biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch removes 80 percent of the stomach. In this procedure, much of the small intestine is bypassed. Losing weight could be sustained over a long period of time. However, there are also increased risks with this kind of medical procedure. Patients tend to develop malnutrition and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
These are just the basic medical procedures and weight-loss surgeries that can be performed to obese individuals and patients. Nonetheless, a person who would like to undergo bariatric surgery would have to undergo different medical and psychological examinations. Those who are qualified for gastric bypass should have at least tried an organized weight-loss program for the last six months monitored by a doctor, but acquired no significant results with their body weight.
Overall, if you are obese, there are steps that you could start doing before considering gastric bypass surgery. Before you start any diet or exercise program, it is recommended to consult a doctor first to guide you on how you could shed the pounds and keep them off. You could start by changing the variety of food you eat, the nutritional content and the amounts and frequency of meals. In short, you would have to improve your eating habits.
Start incorporating activity to your daily activities. Fat in the body is actually energy not used of consumed by the body. So you would have to start losing those excess weight by having an exercise plan. You could start by giving at least 30 minutes a day for daily activity. It does not have to be done continuously, you could break it into different stages suited for your time.
To get better results, it is also important to get all the necessary support tat you could get. There are still tendencies that a person who have undergone gastric bypass surgery to regain their weight. They could still turn to overeating which could result to serious problems like expansion of the pouch or even rupture of the stomach. Counselling and support groups play a major role in helping obese patients deal with weight loss, confidence or self-esteem and other major changes.
Gastric bypass surgery is not the only option. There are other options that can be followed to get the desired health condition. Whatever treatment or surgery that we follow, in the end, what would matter is our will and determination to undergo the change.
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