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Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB)
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LAGB is a “restrictive” type of procedure for Surgical Weight Loss (Bariatric Surgery). During this procedure, the surgeon implants two medical devices into the patient: a silicone band and an injection port. The silicone band is placed around the upper part of the stomach which molds the stomach into two connected chambers, creating a small stomach pouch. The injection port is attached to the abdominal wall, underneath the skin. The port is connected to the band with soft, thin tubing.
The small stomach pouch, “restricts” the amount of food patients can eat by filling quickly, which helps patients feel satisfied with less food. The band is adjustable with gradual adjustments made per individual weight loss needs. Adjustments are made by your healthcare professional in our office using a needle to inject saline solution into the band through the port. Adding saline increases the amount of restriction provided by the band, further reducing the amount of food needed for patients to feel full.
LAGB is reversible, and may be later converted to either a Sleeve Gastrectomy or Gastric Bypass.
Sleeve Gastrectomy
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A sleeve gastrectomy is a “restrictive” surgical weight loss procedure. With this procedure, the surgeon creates a thin, vertical sleeve of stomach and excises the remaining stomach. The stomach sleeve is small, approximately the size of a banana, and this small size “restricts” the amount of food patients can eat by filling quickly, which helps patients feel satisfied with less food. A sleeve gastrectomy, unlike the Gastric Band, requires no future adjustments.
The sleeve gastrectomy is not reversible.
Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
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LRYGB is a “combination” type of procedure for Surgical Weight Loss. LRYGB combines the benefits of both “restriction” and “malabsorption.”
During the procedure, the surgeon creates a small pouch. The surgeon then attaches a Y-shaped section of the small intestine directly to the stomach pouch. This allows food to bypass a large portion of the small intestine, where calories and nutrients would normally be absorbed into the body. The smaller stomach pouch “restricts” the volume of food required for patients to feel full and therefore less food is consumed; bypassing a portion of the small intestine means that the patient’s body absorbs fewer calories, “malabsorbtion”.
The Gastric Bypass is not reversible.