No doubt you’ve been reading far more about lap band surgery, adjustable gastric band surgery and gastric bypass surgery before few years than previously. Although weight reduction surgery ‘s been around for many years, newer procedures and techniques have made it safer and much more common. However there are several risks of lap band surgery, complications and side effects to be aware of.
If you’ve been thinking about a gastric banding procedure to lose excess weight, such as lap band surgery, which is a safer alternative than permanent gastric bypass surgery, you might be wondering what the health 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 that are promoting lap band surgery a number of the risks and complications but you need to learn all the risks and possible complications. You will also want to know what side effects to anticipate and if you can handle these. And can you lose weight and when so at what pace?
Of course one of the better ways would be to read articles such as this and to head to lap band forums where you could discuss your concerns. You particularly want to find forums that are comprised of individuals who have had lap band surgery and see what they have to say, good and bad, 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 definitely something that should not be taken lightly. As a nurse I am present at many surgeries and even though a lot of the surgeries go well, you can find people with complications. If a patient is obese or overweight or are carrying a lot of extra fat tissue, there can be some serious health issues present that may or may not be evident or known about and may have serious health consequences regardless of the type of surgery the individual is having.
A few of the risks to take into account 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 weight problem or not. I will not go into all the risks of general surgery here but focus on the specifics risks and complications for lap band surgery.
The biggest risk of lap band surgery is the possibility of gastric perforation through the surgery, which happens in about one percent of the surgeries. Gastric perforation is a tear in the wall of the stomach.
Following lap band surgery there are many complications that may develop on the next few months or so. 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 if they have traveled to Mexico or a different country and fly home soon after surgery and think it’s okay to indulge just a little. Be sure to understand the lap band diet and understand liquid food and solid food restrictions.
Side effects make a difference many patients such as nausea and vomiting and some will experience regurgitation. Some patients will see that the band has slipped and it’ll ought to be adjusted and some discover that the passage is blocked between your two sections of the banded stomach.
The extended set of risks include ulceration, gastritis, that 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 should be mentioned. Chirurg If the surgery is done laparoscopically rather than a full open surgery then there are other problems that can form such as for example liver damage or spleen damage (requiring removal of the spleen), damage to the arteries, lung problems, blood clots, the rupture of the incision and perforation of the esophagus or stomach during surgery.
Following surgery there are problems that can develop with the lap bad system kind 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 expense of lap band surgery may rise should you have after-surgery and ongoing complications that are not fully covered under your health insurance plan or affect your pocketbook should you be paying cash out of your pocket. So you want to research this also.
Although lap band surgery is typically done laparoscopically, occasionally the surgeon may need to switch to a far more open method of surgery, which has happened in about 5% of the cases as reported in a U.S. clinical study.
Make certain you completely understand all of the risks of lap band surgery and adjustable gastric banding and discuss them fully together with your bariatric or weight reduction surgeon before undergoing this surgery. Although safer than the more permanent gastric bypass surgery it can come with risks, possible complications and unwanted effects. What is as yet not known are the longterm ramifications of this surgery. This is true once you tamper with nature. So it’s easier to be safe than sorry. Ensure you do a lot of research before you commit.
