Lap Band (Gastric Banding) in Mexico

Lap Band in Mexico - min

Obesity is a medical condition that can pose serious threats to one’s overall health. At Tijuana Bariatrics Center, our professional team offers a large variety of medical weight loss options that are designed to help patients successfully lose weight rapidly in order to improve their overall health.

Lap Band (gastric banding) surgery is one of the weight loss treatment options that our expert surgeons offer patients, whether obese or morbidly obese.

Lap-Band System, commonly Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery (LAGB), was previously the most popular weight-loss surgery. Now, the Lap-Band has waned due to higher rates of complications and low expected weight loss.

About Lap-Band Surgery

Gastric Banding SurgeryThe Lap-Band system was designed in order to significantly reduce the size of the stomach and its ability to hold food. Patients will feel full faster and longer, which restricts the quantity of food that someone can eat. This leads to rapid weight loss. The system itself allows you to have complete control over the food you eat; it just slows the speed at which this food is digested in the body.

This bariatric surgical procedure is done laparoscopically with only four to five tiny incisions made in and around the abdomen area. This allows the adjustable gastric band to be installed. Once the band has been placed and adjusted inside, the incisions are closed in order to minimize scarring and to allow the body to begin the healing process.

Patients generally resume normal activity within five days of surgery. Success rates show a weight loss of up to 70% of a patient’s excess weight over time.

See If You Pre-Qualify

What is the Lap Band?

This is an inflatable silicone ring that is placed on the top portion of a patient’s stomach. Saline or silicone is used to fill the band, making it loose up or constrict its grip on the upper portion of the stomach. This band can be modified over time following treatment, and can also be removed altogether too. Depending on one’s case, our professional staff will use one of two types of gastric bands, to complete the transformation of a patient’s stomach.

Benefits of Lap Band

The LAP-BAND system can be adjusted over time so it isn’t a permanent weight loss solution. For some individuals who reject the band, it can also be removed. Gastric banding surgery has proven to give patients an improved self-confidence, rapid weight loss, improved overall health, a lower rate of complications because the gastrointestinal tract is untouched, a shorter recovery time, a short surgery time (hour or less), continued results over a long period of time and the ability to adjust the band over time.

LAP-BAND surgery at our professional Tijuana facility is not approved for everyone as it can pose serious health risks that affect one’s health. To make sure you are an ideal candidate, we will complete a comprehensive consultation to determine if the LAP-BAND system will work for you and your health status.

We can determine what weight loss surgery methods may work best if you are not eligible. We offer cost-effective and safe obesity treatment options for a variety of obese and morbidly obese patients.

While gastric banding is one of the least invasive medical weight loss options, it can require maintenance over time, so it’s important patients consider that before having the surgery. We can offer you information on accredited companies within the United States where you can have these band adjustments in an affordable fashion. Patients who have LAP-BAND surgery need three to five different band modifications in order to keep seeing rapid weight loss results over time.

Lap Band Surgery Information

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding, more commonly known as, stomach band surgery, Lap-band or Johnson & Johnson Band are surgeries that are designed to help morbidly obese patients to lose weight and maintain their weight loss.

How Lap-Band Works

Surgeons reduce the size of the stomach so that it can store smaller amounts of food at a time. An adjustable gastric band made of silicone material is surgically placed around the top section of the stomach. This creates a little pouch that regulates how much food you can eat and reduces the amount of food that is processed in the intestines.

The silicone band contains an inflatable balloon that can be adjusted through an access port that has been installed underneath the skin of the abdomen.

The surgeon can adjust the band by injecting saline into the port. After a patient has had the surgery, they will begin to feel full and content even after eating very small portions of food. This drastic reduction in food consumption results in losing large amounts of weight.

Traditional weight loss surgeries require a large incision that typically runs the length of the abdomen. Laparoscopic surgery requires four to six tiny incisions, about 1 cm each, which are closed using dissolving sutures. As a result, there is a very short recovery period. Most people are able to return to their normal activities in a week or less following the surgery.

The surgery is performed under general anesthesia and typically takes between 30 minutes to one hour. After surgery, it is important that you eat small healthy meals every day and thoroughly chew your food. Adding protein to your diet will make you feel full for a longer period of time. Drinking a minimum of eight glasses of water each day is also important.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Because this is laparoscopic surgery, the incisions are tiny and the recovery time in short. This surgery does not invade the gastrointestinal tract which helps to prevent infections from occurring. The band can be adjusted as your needs change and the procedure is reversible.

Lap Band vs Gastric Bypass

  • Gastric Bypass Shows More Ghrelin (Hunger Hormone) Suppression Than Gastric Banding (Lap-Band) Surgery (EndoJournals.org)
  • Gastric Banding, for recent evidence showing poor results, is not a popular option in Mexico. Leaving many who want to get this procedure performed a tough time in Mexico.

Lap Band vs Gastric Sleeve

  • Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment strategy for morbidly obese adolescents who have failed medical management. VSG results in greater short-term weight and BMI loss when compared to Lap Band. Longer follows up with more patients will be required to confirm the long-term safety and efficacy of VSG in adolescent patients. (Journal of Pediatric Surgery)
  • Gastric Sleeve is an all-purpose bariatric surgery that shows significant advantages than gastric banding (source).

Lap Band vs Duodenal Switch

  • In Mexico, LAGB is rarely performed verse Duodenal Switch. Where promoted, Duodenal Switch (DS) shows higher prices for surgery.

Lap Band vs Gastric Balloon

  • Lap Band in Mexico is typically less expensive than Intra-Gastric Balloon Surgery.
  • Lap Band shows higher expected weight loss than Gastric Balloon Surgery.

Am I Eligible for Lap Band Surgery?

Lap band surgery works well for both men and women of all ages. This surgery is most effective for people that are between 50 to 200 pounds overweight. The hospital stay is very short, usually 24 hours or less. For additional information, please contact us or learn more about Tijuana Bariatrics Center.

Complications of Lap Band

A number of issues can occur as a result of gastric banding surgery. Leakage is a common concern for anyone who undergoes bariatric surgery. This leakage often occurs between the tube and the balloon.

As a result, another operation may be necessary. Thankfully, the band can be easily replaced with a different one. This is a rare complication that does not occur as often these days, primarily due to the fact that the surgery has been perfected over time.

Even so, make sure to keep an eye out for this during your post-op. It can end up happening years after the surgery or even a shorter time afterward, so going to all post-op appointments is important to keep one as healthy and safe as possible.

Another possible complication is slippage and for this occurrence, another surgery may be on the cards for you. Other complications include a greater risk of infection, although these risks are usually only present for a certain amount of time after the surgery.

Side Effects

There are a number of common side effects that can occur when you undergo gastric banding surgery. Pain after food intake is not uncommon. A lot of the time, this can end up causing the patient to vomit.

It’s important to follow all post-op instructions in terms of what to eat and when during one’s lengthy recovering period. The best thing to do throughout the process is to eat slowly. Patients may also feel constipated after they have had the surgery. A lot of the time, this is due to reduced food intake.

Post-Op Diet and Care

Since you will have to reduce the amount of food that you eat afterward, it is a good idea to take vitamin supplements regularly. Taking different bariatric vitamin supplements will make sure that your body keeps up with producing the right chemicals.

As stated before, it is a good idea to eat slowly and carefully after you have had the operation. Patients will also find it beneficial to chew their food as thoroughly as possible. This will make it easier for the food to actually get into the stomach.

During post-op care, you will need to watch out for a few things. There will be a period of starvation after the surgery, so it is not a good idea to get pregnant. Physical activity is also recommended, although you should start slowly. If you are taking any kind of medication, make sure to crush the tablets before you ingest them.

Interested in Lap Band Surgery in Mexico?

Don’t allow your excess weight to hold you back anymore. Tijuana Bariatrics Center will help you achieve your weight loss goals. Our professional staff provides safe and affordable bariatric surgery procedures such as gastric banding surgery in Mexico. We help our patients lose weight and to keep it off for a lifetime.

Contact our professional office today in order to schedule an appointment with our specialists to learn about our affordable LAP-BAND or other weight loss surgeries today.

Scroll to top