The LAP-BAND^® System

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Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in America. If effects one third of the adult population in this country according to the American Obesity Association. This site contains information and support for permanent weight loss through the LAP-BAND® System. Our highly trained staff and specialized facility understand your needs and will assist you in finding the right weight loss method, surgeon and even help with the insurance process. If you are considering the gastric bypass procedure click on our actual patient photo on the right and we will contact you shortly. This website was designed to provide detailed information regarding the advantages, disadvantages and risks involved with the LAP-BAND surgery permanent weight loss procedure.

The links below and to the left will provide you with helpful and accurate information about morbid obesity, weight loss surgery and the LAP-BAND procedure. We have also included an interactive tool that will help you determine if you are a candidate for the surgery as well as providing information regarding insurance coverage for the LAP-BAND System procedure.

LAP-BAND Surgical Procedure
The BioEnterics® LAP-BAND System is designed to help you lose excess body weight for resolution of obesity-related health conditions and enhancement of life. In partnership with leading bariatric surgeons around the world, a new surgical approach has been developed that eliminates many of the known associated operative risks and provides unique benefits compared to other obesity surgeries. This effort has resulted in the LAP-BAND System, the only adjustable and reversible obesity surgery that does not require cutting and stapling of the stomach or gastrointestinal re-routing to bypass normal digestion. read more >>

What To Expect After LAP-BAND

These are guidelines for changes in your diet and behavior after LAP-BAND surgery. But these guidelines are not all you need. Your weight management team will have specific instructions for you, so be sure you understand what they are. Also, keep regular appointments with your health care providers. That way, they can carefully keep track of your progress. You also need to promptly report any unusual symptoms you have to your surgeon. read more>>

The benefits of the LAP-BAND procedure

75% of patients are expected to lose 75 to 80% of their excess body weight. Well over 70 to 80% of patients with hypertension will be off medications and well over 90% of patients with type II non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus are expected to be off medication. Drastically improved, if not completely resolved includes sleep apnea, asthma, joint pain, arthritis, reflux, fatigue, shortness of breath and an overall increased sense of well-being.  read more>>

Candidates For LAP-BAND

LAP-BAND System surgery is recommended for those persons who are 90 pounds or more overweight and have or are likely to have medical complications that will be helped, and in many instances, cured by substantial weight loss. While weight loss surgery is not for everyone, there are a large number of patients for whom losing a lot of weight is imperative, including those suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, heart trouble, shortness of breath, arthritis and orthopedic (bone) problems with their legs, hips or back. read more>>

Health Risks of Morbid Obesity

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) from Morbid Obesity

• Morbid obesity increases CVD risk due to its effect on blood lipid levels.
• Weight loss improves blood lipid levels by lowering triglycerides and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
• Weight loss of 5% to 10% can reduce total blood cholesterol.
• The effects of morbid obesity on cardiovascular health can begin in childhood, which increases the risk of developing CVD as an adult.
• Morbid obesity increases the risk of illness and death associated with coronary heart disease.
• Morbid obesity is a major risk factor for heart attack, and is now recognized as such by the American Heart Association. read more>>

Insurance Coverage for LAP-BAND

Most insurance companies will pay for gastric bypass surgery procedures that are medically necessary. Morbid obesity is a life threatening disease and it is normally covered.

Aetna Insurance is now asking for the patients entire medical work-up along with the pre-authorization request as well as documented weight loss attempts supervised by a physician for the last 2 years. They also want documented weight history for the last 5 years.

Many insurance plans do not provide reimbursement for weight loss treatment. According to many practitioners, few private insurance indemnity plans or managed care organizations appear to cover the costs of obesity treatment regardless of whether the service is a medically supervised program of weight reduction or maintenance, nutrition counseling, surgery or a pharmaceutical product. The countless number of available insurance plans and ever changing policies have made it difficult to assess the extent to which obesity treatment and prevention services are covered by third party insurers. More data and better tracking is necessary to determine the health needs of persons with obesity. read more>>

Morbid Obesity Information

Obesity results from consuming more calories than the body uses. Genetic and environmental factors influence body weight, but precisely how they interact to determine a person's weight is still unclear. One proposed explanation is that body weight is regulated around a set point, similar to a thermostat setting. A higher-than-normal set point may explain why some people are obese and why losing weight and maintaining weight loss are difficult for them. Obesity is a disease that affects nearly one-third of the adult American population (approximately 60 million). The number of overweight and obese Americans has continued to increase since 1960, a trend that is not slowing down. Today, 64.5 percent of adult Americans (about 127 million) are categorized as being overweight or obese. Each year, obesity causes at least 300,000 excess deaths in the U.S., and healthcare costs of American adults with obesity amount to approximately $100 billion. read more>>

Morbid Obesity Treatment Options

A statistic frequently used about obesity treatment is that 95 percent of people who lose weight gain it all back. That statistic, based on a small study from 1959, is no longer valid. Much has changed in the way of obesity treatment since then. Thousands of people have succeeded in losing weight and keeping it off -- an encouraging fact for many that are discouraged by outdated information. There are several different types of effective treatment options to manage weight including: dietary therapy, physical activity, behavior therapy, drug therapy, combined therapy and surgery.

Weight loss of about 10 percent of excess body weight is proven to benefit health by reducing many obesity-related risk factors. Recommendations for treatment are now focusing on 10 percent weight loss to help patients with long-term maintenance of weight loss. Health professionals including physicians, nutritionists, exercise physiologists, psychologists and bariatric surgeons help persons with overweight and obesity to determine the most appropriate treatment. read more>>