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Some Lapband facts (Can we retire the myths?)



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 25th, 2003, 01:33 AM
Sharon C
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Default Some Lapband facts (Can we retire the myths?)

Sorry to come in so late but I had to respond to the posting about the
lap band (adjustable gastric band).
Disclaimer: I am not a medical person, not connected to the
manufactuerer or provider of any medical device. All information cited
here is freely available on the Web.

Lapband
Cons:
1) Weight loss is small, and not recommended for patients with a BMI
over 50 (that is it is not recommended by the INVESTIGATORS who
conducted the clinical trials on this product)

I guess it depends on what you call "small." I've lost 73 pounds since
Janaury 10. I personally know at least a dozen people who have lost
over 100 pounds. (And two guys who have lost more than 200 pounds
each.) An excellent study on the question of 50 BMI : "Results of the
Italian multicenter study on 239 super-obese patients treated by
adjustable gastric banding." Obestity Surgery, December 12, 2002.
From the American Journal of Surgery (December 2002): "For the
international series, the percent excess weight loss (%EWL) at 2 years
has been between 52% and 65%. In our series, %EWL at 5 years and 6
years was 54% and 57%, respectively. The LAP-BAND is proving to be
extremely safe, able to facilitate good weight loss, and able to
maintain weight loss over time."

2) Band slippage is a big problem and can result in reoperation or
device removal

The Journal of Obesity surgery ("Outcome after laparoscopic adjustable
gastric banding - 8 years experience." June 13, 2003) reports on 973
patients. The slippage rate was 3.7% and most of those were in a
surgeon's first 100 patients. (Surgical experience counts.)

3) Surgical risks are no less than for a roux-en-y or other bypass
procedure.

Even the laparoscopic Roux-en-Y is much more dangerous than the lap
band. The Archives of Surgery ("Predictors of complication and
suboptimal weight loss after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a
series of 188 patients" May 2003) reports "Of the 188 patients who
underwent laparoscopic RYGB, 50 (26.6%) developed complications that
required an invasive therapeutic intervention, including 2 deaths." On
the other hand the internation record for the lapband as reported in
the American Journal of Surgery("Weight loss and early and late
complications--the international experience." December 2002) reports
that "A report analyzing international data on laparoscopic adjustable
gastric bands identified 3 deaths in 5,827 patients (approximately 1
in 2,000). In our series of 1,120 patients, there have been no deaths
and no life-threatening perioperative complications.."



4) Requires frequent band adjustments

Average patient has 3-4 adjustments the first year. (I've needed only
one.) One or two the following year. Then usually none once goal
weight is reached. Adjustments are painless and take about 5 minutes
in the surgeon's office.

5) Very easy to "out eat" this procedure

If you don't want to lose weight, you certainly can sabotage the
surgery. That's true of all procedures, diets, regimes, etc. My
personal experience has been that you really have to work at "out
eating" the band. It's easier to lose weight than to not lose.

5) No long term data on patients

See the Journal of Obesity Surgery article cited above (June 13, 2003)
where the authors concluded: "LAGB [laparoscopic adjustable gastric
band]is safe, with a lower complication rate than other bariatric
operations. Reoperations can be performed laparoscopically with low
morbidity and short hospitalizations. The LAGB seems to be the basic
bariatric procedure, which can be switched laparoscopically to
combined bariatric procedures if treatment fails. After the learning
curve of the surgeon, results are markedly improved. On the basis of 8
years long-term follow-up, it is an effective procedure."
  #2  
Old September 25th, 2003, 12:20 PM
Carol Frilegh
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Default Some Lapband facts (Can we retire the myths?)

In article , Sharon C
wrote:

My lapband buddy has been visiting for a few days and I learned some
neat tricks from her. She always carries some protein food with her,
hard boiled eggs or ham wrapped in cheese to make a little packet. then
if meals or delayed or we're in a movie, she has something to stave off
hunger, regulate blood sugar and keep her from being tempted by high
varb fppds. She also must drink before she eats and then wait awhile
and no drinking with food or directly after.

--
Diva
*************
The Best Man for the Job is a Woman
 




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