No doubt you’ve been reading much more about lap band surgery, adjustable gastric band surgery and gastric bypass surgery in the past few years than previously. Although weight reduction surgery ‘s been around for many years, newer procedures and techniques have made it safer and more common. However there are lots of risks of lap band surgery, complications and side effects to understand.
If you’ve been considering a gastric banding procedure to lose excess weight, such as lap band surgery, that is a safer alternative than permanent gastric bypass surgery, you could be wondering what medical risks are or what possible complications can form from this procedure.
When doing all your research online you’ll no doubt continue reading the lap band websites which are promoting lap band surgery a number of the risks and complications but you need to find out all of the risks and possible complications. You will also wish to know what side effects to anticipate and if it is possible to handle these. And will you lose weight and if so at what pace?
Of course one of the best ways is to read articles like this and to go to lap band forums where you could discuss your concerns. You particularly want to find forums which are comprised of individuals who have had lap band surgery and see what they have to say, bad and the good, and what testimonials you will find.
Any surgery could be risky and many have significantly more risks than others. In any event elective surgery is always something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. As a nurse I’ve been present at many surgeries and although almost all of the surgeries go well, there are people with complications. In case a patient is obese or overweight or are carrying a lot of extra fat tissue, there may be some serious health issues present that could or may not be evident or known about and may have serious health consequences regardless of the type of surgery the patient is having.
A number of the risks to be concerned about are those that are general to any surgery and so are influenced by your actual age, weight, how you respond to the anesthesia and what diseases you could have and whether they’re linked to your bodyweight problem or not. I won’t go into all the risks of general surgery here but concentrate on the specifics risks and complications for lap band surgery.
The biggest threat of lap band surgery may be the chance for gastric perforation through the surgery, which happens in about one percent of the surgeries. Gastric perforation is really a tear in the wall of the stomach.
Following lap band surgery there are many complications that may develop on the next few months roughly. These can range from the lesser mild to much more serious. Directions after surgery should be followed closely, as solid food eaten too early could cause a medical emergency. This mistake is manufactured if the weight loss surgery patient eats solid food in the day or two after surgery or should they have traveled to Mexico or another country and fly home soon after surgery and think it’s okay to indulge a little. Be sure to understand the lap band diet and understand liquid food and solid food restrictions.
Side effects can affect many patients such as for example nausea and vomiting and some will experience regurgitation. Some patients will see that the band has slipped and it will ought to be adjusted and some discover that the passage is blocked between your two sections of the banded stomach.
The extended list of risks include ulceration, gastritis, which is irritated or inflamed stomach tissue, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux), which is regurgitation, heartburn, bloating from flatulence (gas), difficulty swallowing, dehydration, constipation, regaining of weight and rarely death but must be mentioned. If the surgery is done laparoscopically rather than full open surgery then you can find other problems that can form such as for example liver damage or spleen damage (requiring removal of the spleen), harm to the arteries, lung problems, blood clots, the rupture of the incision and perforation of the esophagus or stomach during surgery.
Following surgery you can find problems that can form with the lap bad system type of gastric banding and they include: a deflating of the band causing leakage, that may come from the tubing band or the reservoir, slippage of the band or stomach, an enlargement of the pouch and the stomach outlet could be blocked, or the band can erode directly into the stomach.
Be aware that the cost of lap band surgery may rise should you have after-surgery and ongoing complications that are not fully covered under your health insurance coverage or affect your pocketbook in case you are paying cash out of your pocket. So you desire to research this also.
Although lap band surgery is typically done laparoscopically, occasionally the surgeon may need to switch to a more open method of surgery, which has happened in about 5% of the cases as reported in a U.S. clinical study.
Ensure that you completely understand all the risks of lap band surgery and adjustable gastric banding and discuss them fully with your bariatric or weight loss surgeon before undergoing this surgery. Although safer than the more permanent gastric bypass surgery it can include risks, possible complications and unwanted effects. What is as yet not known are the longterm ramifications of this surgery. That is true once you tamper with nature. Chirurg So it is easier to be safe than sorry. Make sure you do plenty of research before you commit.
