COLUMBUS, Ohio - Surgeons at The Ohio State University Medical Center are among the first in the country to use a device that is expected to make surgery a more viable alternative for people who need to lose a significant amount of weight. The Lap Band was recently approved by the FDA to assist patients who need to lose 100 pounds or more.
"It's an option for patients who need to lose a significant amount of weight but want a less invasive -- although still permanent -- procedure, other than gastric bypass surgery," said Dr. Bradley Needleman, a surgeon at OSU Medical Center who specializes in surgery to facilitate weight loss. "The great thing about the Lap Band is it's adjustable and reversible -- so if a patient is having negative side effects with the Lap Band, it can be re-adjusted or removed completely."
The Lap Band is an adjustable silicon band with a balloon at the end. Surgeons wrap the Lab Band around the top part of the stomach and fill the balloon with saline solution that will help make the patient feel full more quickly, said Needleman. "Because there is less room in the stomach, after a few bites of food the patient feels very full and then stops eating."
Also, because it is adjustable, the operation can be tailored to the individual patient's symptoms and weight loss, said Needleman. By adding saline to the band, the person will feel full and lose weight faster. If they aren't eating enough or have problems with nausea and vomiting, the band can be deflated, he said.
Because the entire procedure is performed laparoscopically, using only a few, very small incisions, the patient's recovery from surgery is quicker than traditional surgery. The procedure is usually less than an hour and oftentimes requires an overnight stay, he said. This is different from traditional gastric bypass surgery, which may take two to three hours to perform and usually requires a three-day hospital stay. Needleman points out that the Lap Band is another option for patients wanting weight-loss surgery and does not replace gastric bypass surgery. "Each patient must decide with his or her own physician which procedure is best for them," said Needleman.
Needleman said that one group of patients that might benefit from the Lap Band are those female patients who wish to become pregnant. Pregnancy, although possible after gastric bypass surgery, requires strict nutritional counseling, he said. Needleman said the process is a lot easier and perhaps safer with the Lap Band procedure. "Because it's adjustable, the lap band can be deflated for a patient's pregnancy, and the patient is able to ingest the appropriate amount of food daily to sustain a normal pregnancy."
The gastric bypass procedure has been used for many years to treat patients who are severely obese and have not been able to lose weight with diet, exercise or weight-loss medications. The procedure became well documented when singer Carnie Wilson had the procedure two years ago. Needleman, who also performs the gastric bypass procedure, said the procedure permanently alters a patient's digestive system, and patients are very limited to how much and what kinds of foods they are able to consume.
"The Lap Band is also considered a long-term treatment, and it does limit a patient's food intake but is a less invasive choice to help them lose weight," said Needleman.
The Ohio State University Medical Center has consistently been named one of America's best hospitals by US News & World Report. The Medical Center is widely recognized for programs in heart care, cancer, orthopedics, organ transplantation, rehabilitation, women's services and neuroscience. University Medical Center is the only academic medical center serving central and southern Ohio and cares for 3,000 patients daily.
Contact: Jill Boatman, Medical Center Communications, 614-293-3737, or boatman-2@medctr.osu.edu