Medical Tourism in India, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia

Gastric Banding or Lap Band surgery is a minimally invasive surgery which is commonly referred as Lap Band surgery.  The gastric band is an inflatable silicone device placed around the top portion of the stomach.  Being minimally invasive surgery i.e. the band is placed through laparoscopic surgery.  The lap band or gastric banding to treat obesity is usually for obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater and also for patients with BMI between 35–40 suffering from other health abnormalities such as diabetes, arthritis, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, sleep apnea etc.

The gastric/lap band for weight loss performed through minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery helps patients in faster recovery and shorter hospital stay.  Being minimally invasive, the lap band surgery scars are small and less painful than open surgical procedures.  Unlike stomach stapling or removing or by passing or re-routing patient’s intestine, in the lap band surgery the patient continues to absorb nutrients from food normally.

Gastric bands are made of biocompatible materials, thus post surgery they stay in the patient’s body without causing harm.  Laparoscopic gastric banding may not be suitable for all patients, patients who are extremely obese or who have had previous abdominal surgery, or have medical complications need to look at alternative methods.

How Gastric/Lap Band Works: 

The gastric band placed creates a small pouch at the top of the stomach and the pouch approximately holds about one sixth of the total food intake which is normally consumed.  The food in the pouch fills up with just one sixth of the food and the band slows the passage of food from the pouch to the lower part of the stomach.  Once the upper part of the stomach fills up, the message sent to the brain is that the entire stomach is full, and naturally this helps the person feel not hungry anymore.  Thus, the person feels full more quickly, eat smaller portions, and lose weight over time.

After few weeks, as patients lose weight, the gastric band needs adjustment or fills for it to be effective. The gastric band is adjusted by introducing saline solution into a small access port.  The lap band inflated with saline solution, places pressure around the outside of the stomach thus, reducing the size of the passage between the pouch created from the upper part of the stomach and the lower stomach.  This further restricts the movement of food.  Further, the filling of the band continues over several visits to achieve maximum restriction.  This is done carefully so that it is neither too loose that hunger is not controlled, nor so tight that food cannot move through the digestive system.  This way the gastric/lap band regulates the intake of food and the patient sheds weight.

Gastric banding or lap band surgery is performed in many hospitals across Asia, and patients can opt getting this treatment in India, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia at much lower cost and made affordable for many who find it expensive in their resident country.  Patients seeking lap band surgery can look forward for this option and include a healthcare vacation to save cost and get quality treatment for weight loss.  To find hospitals providing this treatment click here.