Lap Band Fills Control Weight Loss
Being able to adjust the band is a unique feature of the Lap Band System and is a normal part of follow-up care. This feature lets your surgeon find the right level of restriction to meet your individual needs.
“A few months after surgery I had my first ‘fill’; it was about 1.8cc. This ended up being my only fill and I was on my way. I showed up at Dr Kuri’s office at goal weight and ready for an ‘unfill’ and he did not even recognize me!”
CRAIG – Lost 100 lbs
What are Lap Band Fills?
The Lap Band System is a silicone ring designed to create a new smaller stomach pouch that can hold less food while maintaining a sense of fullness. The band controls the stoma (stomach outlet) between the new upper pouch and the lower part of the stomach, regulating the flow of the food. The lap band surgeon can change the stoma size by adding or subtracting saline inside the inner balloon through the access port. This adjustment process, known as a lap band fill, helps drive the rate of weight loss.
Preparation for Lap Band Fills
There should be NO food in the upper pouch when a patient arrives for their lap band fill. It is suggested that only liquids be ingested on the day of the fill procedure to flush the stoma and ensure that there is no food remaining in the pouch.
Lap Band Fills Procedure
Lap Band fills are performed at our facility along with a fluoroscopy. This test allows the surgeon to see the band placement and stomach before and after administering the fill, to ensure that the fill amount is sufficient to provide the restriction level required for continued weight loss. The procedure takes no more than 15 minutes on average and is relatively painless.
The First Lap Band Fill
Following the Lap Band System placement procedure, the band is usually left empty or only partially inflated. This enables the patient to get acquainted with their band, adjust to life after bariatric surgery, and allows healing to occur around the new band site. Adjustments are not usually performed until 6 to 8 weeks after surgery, although the exact time will vary from patient to patient. To determine this, Dr. Kuri will consider current weight loss, the amount of food the patient can comfortably eat, their lifestyle adjustments, as well as the amount of fluid currently in the band.
Frequency of Lap Band Fills
It is important to remember that some time prior to your first, second or third fill, you may not feel any restriction to eating at all. This is quite normal. You may feel that you can eat anything and everything. Try to focus on a high-protein, low-carb diet during these periods. While it’s rare, there have been a number of cases where patients only need one fill to lose all their excess weight. If everything is working properly and your restriction level is good, you should not require additional visits.
Should you require additional fills, Dr. Kuri offers free Lap Band fills for life for his patients. His caring and consideration is not limited to his own practice; as a leading expert in the field of bariatric surgery, Dr. Kuri has also cared for patients banded by other surgeons. Patient health and security is of the utmost importance to Dr. Kuri. His recommendations regarding Lap Band surgery and subsequent fills are based on his judgment of what is best of the patient.
If you require a fill, please contact our office.
