The Benefits of Lap Band Surgery

Lap band surgery is a type of gastric bypass surgery that is relatively new to this country. It is relatively simple compared to the other types of gastric bypass surgery that have typically been performed in the past.

Simply put, this procedure is performed by placing a band around the upper part of the stomach through a small incision in the abdomen. This procedure is much less invasive than the more commonly performed Roux-en-Y procedure.

Some of the benefits of having lap bad surgery are:

• Shorter hospital stay (no more than 48 hours)
• Shorter recovery period (3-7 days)
• No stomach incision is required
• No staples are needed in the stomach
• The stomach size can be changed without surgery
• The procedure can be completely reversed, if necessary

At the time I had my surgery, my insurance company would not cover lap band surgery. I believe you will see that changing due to the growing problem of obesity in this country. I also believe the cost of lap band surgery will be less than the cost of ongoing medical care for a person that has all the normal medical problems associated with being overweight. I think that the number of lap band surgeries performed in this country will rise as people seek a solution to their weight problem.