| Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding sounds like | | | | operative problems. This is usually done using |
| something that people do to homing pigeons but in | | | | computers and a tube with a microscope and tiny |
| reality what it does, is to bring a 'bird' back to baseline | | | | surgical implements attached to the arms on the |
| weight again according to medical jargon. | | | | laparoscopic tubes inserted through two keyholes in a |
| Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is | | | | person's body. |
| another method of gastric bypass that is much less | | | | With LAGB a band is inserted around the upper part |
| invasive than the original method of cutting or stapling a | | | | of a person's stomach to form a new stomach pouch |
| person's stomach. | | | | with a port inserted just below the skin. This port is |
| Laparoscopic is a surgical procedure more commonly | | | | then adjusted by filling or removing saline solution |
| referred to today as key hole surgery. This type of | | | | according to the patients needs. If the patient is losing |
| surgery can be done on most parts of the human | | | | weight steadily no adjusting is needed but if the person |
| anatomy and is often done on joints like knees. It is the | | | | is losing weight too fast then the band can be |
| preferred method of operating today because it is a | | | | loosened off. |
| much less invasive method than a big cut or incision | | | | This method of gastric banding represents a real |
| with a scalpel. | | | | break through in weight control for people who have |
| The risk of infection is considerably less and the | | | | become morbidly obese or who have a serious illness |
| patient recovers much faster with fewer post | | | | and need to lose weight to save their lives. |