Bariatric surgery is a great option to lose significant weight when you're overweight or obese. When diet, exercise, and every other fad weight loss program haven't worked, the LAP-BAND may be an excellent option for long-term weight loss.
The LAP-BAND® is a successful bariatric surgery option that allows you to lose weight quickly and efficiently. Still, it only sometimes works for some.
If you're struggling to lose weight with the LAP-BAND, Dr. Robert Snow and the team at Snow Bariatric Center in Fort Worth and Flower Mound, Texas, offer revisional bariatric surgery options to help you finally reach your goals.
Dr. Snow is an esteemed bariatric surgeon providing various weight loss procedures to help his patients achieve a healthier lifestyle and improved self-esteem.
The LAP-BAND is a minimally invasive bariatric surgery option where Dr. Snow surgically places an adjustable band around the upper portion of your stomach. He then tightens the band to make a small pouch, which allows you to feel full on much less food.
There are various advantages to the LAP-BAND procedure, including that it's minimally invasive and has fewer complications after surgery because there's no permanent change to the stomach or intestines.
Dr. Snow can adjust the LAP-BAND to make it tighter or looser if you're experiencing too much weight loss or trouble losing weight. It's also not necessarily permanent, and Dr. Snow can remove it anytime.
Approximately 10.5% to 60% of people who undergo gastric banding will need revisional surgery. There are various reasons the LAP-BAND doesn't work and needs to be removed, such as:
If you experience any of the above issues, you may need to have the LAP-BAND removed and consider revisional surgery to reduce complications and allow you to lose weight finally.
Most people lose a significant amount of weight after the LAP-BAND procedure because of the ability to feel full on much less food. The average weight loss is up to 40% of the original weight after two years post-procedure.
However, some people don't lose much weight after the LAP-BAND or regain most of the weight within a few years, triggering health complications and decreased self-esteem from weight gain.
If you've tried your best to lose weight after LAP-BAND surgery and are struggling even after Dr. Snow adjusts the band, you may be a candidate for revision surgery.
You can also talk to Dr. Snow about revision surgery if you're experiencing significant complications after the LAP-BAND, including band intolerance or esophageal dilation.
The goal of the LAP-BAND is long-term, significant weight loss to achieve a healthier body; if unsuccessful, revision surgery can improve the odds of success.
If the LAP-BAND isn't working and you still need to lose a significant amount of weight, Dr. Snow provides various options for revision surgery. He bases the choice of surgery on how much weight you still have to lose and your overall health.
The most common option for revisional bariatric surgery after a failed LAP-BAND procedure is the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, also known as the gastric sleeve.
Dr. Snow performs the gastric sleeve procedure by removing almost 80% of your stomach, leaving a small long pouch that looks like a banana. It's a permanent option for long-term weight loss if the LAP-BAND wasn't successful or you had too many complications.
One of the significant advantages of the gastric sleeve is that it's highly successful without the complications of more involved procedures. Dr. Snow removes the part of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone, which makes you feel full and reduces cravings.
A gastric bypass is also an option for revision surgery. Still, it is more involved than the gastric sleeve and has more complications. Dr. Snow evaluates your health, weight loss goals, and internal structures to determine which revision surgery suits your needs.
To talk to Dr. Snow about revisional bariatric surgery, don't hesitate to call us at one of our conveniently located offices in Flower Mound and Fort Worth, Texas, or request an appointment on our website.
