The Gastric band which is sometimes identified more fully as the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, is an extremely useful procedure to help you reduce the level of food you consume. It basically performs like a belt around the top portion of your stomach, producing a small pouch. You will feel full after eating only a very small portion of food. This feeling of fullness will stay, and you will feel satisfied eating three quite small meals each day.

The gastric band has been utilized since about 1984 in its present form. It provides several major advantages:
•It is truly adjustable. The adjustability of the lap band gives you and your physician control to achieve weight loss while not creating very many unpleasant symptoms due to the amount of restriction.
 •It is placed laparoscopically. For most people this means they can get back to work very quickly after the operation with a negligable recovery period.
 •It is reversible. Removing the band would revert the stomach to its normal size and you would expect to gain weight again in the usual way.

Weight gain is possible with ANY weight loss procedures inclusive of the more radical procedures that initially result in rapid weight loss. World Health Organisation recommendation for monthly weight loss is ½ to 1 kilograms per week and lap band patients can often lose this, however this is not guaranteed, and varies with the person, their personal circumstances, their personal motivation and their personal mobility.

Ulceration Gastritis Erosion – the gastric band can on rare occasions wear and aggravate a small area on the outside of the stomach which can then, in extreme cases, lead to migration of the band to the inside the stomach. This however is a very rare occurrence and usually warning signs are noticeable well in advance this ever occurring.

In general terms the lap band offers a trouble-free, manageable method of weight loss surgery for the masses at a relatively reasonable cost to both the surgeon and the client which is why it is such a popular procedure. There are alternatives to this procedure such as the gastric sleeve, the gastric balloon, and for the morbidly obese the ultimate method is the gastric ByPass.