LAP-BANDŽ New Haven - Dr. Elmer Valin

Effective, Low-Risk Weight Loss Surgery

If you struggle with obesity, LAP-BAND® surgery can help you lose weight. Offered at the New Haven, Connecticut practice of Dr. Elmer Valin, the procedure works by limiting your caloric intake and helping you feel satisfied eating less food. When paired with exercise, the results of this surgery can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. There have been more than 250,000 LAP-BAND® procedures performed worldwide. The Food and Drug Administration approved the LAP-BAND® in the United States in 2001. Dr. Elmer Valin is the first surgeon in the state of Connecticut to perform this procedure.

To learn more about how a LAP-BAND® can help you, contact our New Haven practice serving Hartford, New York and New London today.

How LAP-BAND® Works

LAP-BAND® surgery is a purely restrictive procedure, as compared to gastric bypass surgery, which is restrictive and malabsorptive. This means the band will limit the amount of food a person can take in. This will cause a decrease in calories, hence producing weight loss. It is designed to give you the sensation of feeling full faster.

The LAP-BAND® system is a silicone band that is wrapped around the upper portion of your stomach. This creates a small pouch that only holds a small amount of food. The band will create a small outlet between the upper pouch and your stomach. The food will move more slowly between your pouch and your lower stomach as it is digested.

The Procedure

The LAP-BAND® is placed through a laparoscopic approach. This method has been known to decrease post-operative pain, decrease length of the hospital stay, decrease the risk of infection, and necessitate minimal recovery time. It involves small incisions made through the abdominal wall, giving the doctor access to the digestive organs. A camera is used during the operation, guiding Dr. Valin during the surgery. The LAP-BAND® is placed around the upper portion of the stomach, creating a small pouch. The pouch holds approximately one ounce. The band is locked together and secured in place with three stitches. The band is then attached to a reservoir port. Dr. Valin will place your port under your skin on the lower right portion of your abdomen. There is no cutting of the stomach or small intestine during this procedure. The surgical time is approximately 45 to 90 minutes. The LAP-BAND® produces slower initial weight loss than other bariatric procedures. Successful weight loss is one to two pounds per week.

If you have a hiatal hernia, Dr. Valin will need to repair this at the time of your surgery.

Adjustability

The LAP-BAND® is adjustable. There is a balloon located on the inner portion of the band. After receiving a small amount of topical anesthesia, a small needle is inserted into the port to inflate this balloon with normal saline. This is called a fill. This is done in small increments, decreasing the diameter of the band. Adjustments are based on weight loss, the amount of food that you can eat, and how much fluid is in the band. An ideal fill should be tight enough to result in gradual weight loss.

Advantages of the LAP-BAND®

TheLAP-BAND® features several advantages that have made it an increasingly popular method of obesity treatment:

• Low mortality rate
• Minimally invasive
• No stomach stapling, cutting or intestinal surgery
• The band is adjustable
• Low obesity surgery complication rate
• Low risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies
• Low risk for infection
• Reduced pain
• Small incisions and minimal trauma
• Shorter recovery time
• Overnight hospitalization
• Reduced hair loss
• No “Dumping Syndrome” related to dietary intake
• Reversible (if medically necessary)
• Allows individualized degree of restriction for ideal weight loss
• Adjustments require only a short office procedure (no surgery)

Risks of LAP-BAND® Surgery

Though LAP-BAND® surgery is considered safe, all surgical procedures involve a degree of risk. Possible risks of LAP-BAND® surgery include:

• Infection
• Band slippage
• Band Erosion
• Port Disconnect
• Tubing Malfunction

Learn More about LAP-BAND® Surgery

To learn more about how you can benefit from a LAP-BAND®,please contact our New Haven, Connecticut practice today to schedule an appointment.

Note: Many surgeons report that at 5 years, many LAP-BAND® and gastric bypass patients achieve comparable weight loss (55% for LAP-BAND® and 59% for gastric bypass).

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Hospitalization/Recovery Time

All of our patients are hospitalized overnight. Recovery time varies. Most patients can return to work in one week. However, this time may be increased for strenuous jobs.