During the procedure, the surgeon fits a hollow band around the upper part of your stomach, like a belt. The band divides the stomach into two sections, a smaller upper pouch and the larger lower section. The surgeon then connects the LAP-BAND® by a tube to an access port just underneath the skin of your abdomen.

Within four to six weeks after surgery, you’ll have your first band adjustment or fill. This will take place during an in-office visit. During the procedure, saline is injected into the port under your skin. The saline then travels through the tube. It fills the band around your stomach and narrows the opening between the upper pouch and the lower portion of the stomach. With the narrowing of the opening, food stays in the upper stomach pouch longer, leaving you feeling fuller for a longer time. After the initial fill, adjustments to the band are done in the office as needed to maximize weight loss while minimizing complications, such as the feeling that food is getting stuck. In the first year, adjustments may be needed more frequently until you and your surgeon find what many of our patients call the “sweet spot” — that feeling that the band is perfectly adjusted.