Adjustable Gastric Banding, also called lap band surgery, is a less invasive surgery to reduce the amount of food your stomach can hold. Sometimes called "Lap Band" which is the trademark of one of two companies that make the bands.

Lap band surgery does not result in permanent changes to your stomach or your intestines. The band can be removed, should that become necessary. When the band is removed, the stomach generally returns to its original form. In general, it is easier to remove the band than it is to reverse other kinds of surgical procedures for obesity.

With adjustable gastric banding, weight loss is slow and gentle – not as rapid from the start as with gastric bypass surgery. Regular follow-up visits for nutrition and exercise education as well as for adjustments are necessary, however, for optimum results.

Advantages

• Least invasive approach
• No stomach stapling or cutting
• No intestinal rerouting
• Adjustable
• Reversible
• Lowest operative complication rate
• Lowest mortality rate
• Low malnutrition risk

Disadvantages

• Slower initial weight loss than with gastric bypass
• Regular follow-up critical for optimal results
• Higher failure rates
• The band can move out of position (prolapse) requiring surgery