• LAP-BAND^® System Ready Checklist
• Prepare for the Procedure
• Procedure Description
• Procedure Day
• What to Expect After the Procedure
• Living with the LAP-BAND^® System
• Supporting a Loved One

Procedure Description

The LAP-BAND^® System Procedure

The LAP-BAND^® System is usually placed laparoscopically while you are under general anesthesia. You may be in the procedure room for two to three hours, but the procedure itself typically takes about an hour. First the physician makes a few small incisions in the abdominal wall and secures "ports" in these incisions for the insertion of long, thin instruments. A narrow camera is also passed through a port so that the physician can view the operative site on a nearby video monitor. A small tunnel is made behind the top of the stomach to let the band through and allow it to be wrapped around the upper part of the stomach, like a wristwatch. The band is then locked securely in a ring around the stomach. Also, to help hold it in place, stomach tissue is folded over the band and stitched together. The rest of the lower stomach will stay in its normal position.

Then, the small access port, which is used for band adjustments, is fixed just underneath the skin. The access port is used by the physician to inject saline (sterile salt water) into the band when you have an adjustment. The LAP-BAND^® System is usually left empty for the first 4 to 6 weeks after the procedure. Click here to read more about adjustments.

To learn more about the LAP-BAND^® System and to ensure that you are well prepared for your procedure, you can also download and read the LAP-BAND^® System patient booklet below.