Doctors perform lap band surgery, or laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery, to help patients who need to lose weight. Patients with autoimmune diseases may not be good candidates for this type of surgery.
Lap Band Surgery
According to Piedmont Hospital, doctors implant a laparoscopic adjustable gastric band around a patient's upper stomach during lap band surgery to reduce the size of the stomach and limit the amount of food that the stomach can store. The band may be adjusted or removed at a later date.
Autoimmune Diseases
Doctors may not perform lap band surgery on patients who have autoimmune diseases of the connective tissues, such as scleroderma or lupus, and patients with a family history of this type of autoimmune condition because they may suffer complications from the surgery.
Other Restrictions
Individuals with gastrointestinal conditions such as Crohn's disease, ulcers or esophagitis, people with severe lung or heart disease and patients with an infection cannot undergo lap band surgery.
Candidates
Obese people over 18 years old who have not had long-term success in losing weight, individuals who are willing to make healthy adjustments to their eating habits and patients who do not drink excessive amounts of alcohol may benefit from lap band surgery.
Advantages
Patients who choose lap band surgery instead of traditional gastric bypass surgery do not experience as much surgical trauma, have less scarring and pain, and have a faster recovery.
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