Who should have the LAP-BAND Procedure?
LAP-BAND is recommended for patients who are 100 pounds or more overweight or who have a body mass index of at least 40. Those with a BMI less than 40 who have medical conditions associated with obesity may also qualify for the LAP-BAND procedure. These patients may have been overweight for five years or more and have tried other means of weight loss to no avail. Patients need to be in reasonably good health to have the surgery and be willing to commit to lifestyle changes after the procedure to ensure optimal results. What are the Benefits of LAP-BAND? The primary benefit to the LAP-BAND procedure is that it assists in weight loss when other systems have failed. This weight loss reduces the risk of many potentially serious conditions such as type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol and some forms of sleep apnea. In patients that have already been diagnosed with these conditions, the weight loss associated with LAP-BAND may be sufficient in minimizing or reversing them. How
