The Lap Band, or gastric band, was first approved by the FDA in 2001. It gained peak popularity around 2005-2010, mostly due to its low risk, adjustability, and reversibility. For several years it was the the most commonly-performed weight loss surgery worldwide. The Lap Band® System is one of the safest, least invasive, and adjustable surgical treatments for morbid obesity in the United States. It induces weight loss by reducing the capacity of the stomach, which restricts the amount of food that can be consumed. Since its clinical introduction in 1993, over 750,000 Lap Bands have been implanted wordwide, and over 150,000 in the U.S. alone. Dr. Curry was one of the first surgeons in Ohio to perform gastric band procedures. His team cares for patients from all over the country.

Lap Band Advantages:

Despite the fact that gastric bands are not as popular as they once were, there are still some major advantages to this procedure:

Lap Band has the lowest short-term (30 day) risk of all weight loss surgeries. They also have the fastest recovery after surgery.
Lap Bands are reversible.
Lap Bands are adjustable.
There is no malabsorption, and some studies have shown less loss of lean body mass.

Lap Band Disadvantages:

As with any procedure, there are some drawbacks to the Lap Band:

A foreign body is obviously involved, and studies have shown a reasonably high long-term complication rate due to this.
The Lap Band has the least power of all currently-performed weight loss surgeries.
Patients with a higher BMI (body mass index) frequently do not lose enough weight. These patients sometimes need to be converted to gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, or SIPS.
- Because of this, we do not recommend the Lap Band for patients with a BMI over 45.
Age also seems to be a factor. Younger patients usually have a much better exercise tolerance and can offset the decrease power of this operation.
- Therefore, we do not recommend the Lap Band for patients over the age of 45.

If patients are properly selected, the Lap Band can provider excellent results. If you are one of those patients then you have come to the right place! Dr. Trace Curry has performed more Lap Band procedures than any other bariatric surgeon in Ohio. In fact, Dr. Curry has been a faculty member for both Lap Band and Realize Band in past years, traveling all over the country to teach surgeons how to do these procedures. Dr. Curry was one of the first surgeons in Ohio to perform the Lap Band procedure, and his team cares for patients from all over the country!

What does all this mean? It means you have found the leading facility for Lap Band surgery at JourneyLite Surgery Center in Cincinnati Ohio! We have performed over 4000 bands with no mortalities.

JourneyLite has offices in:

Cincinnati, Ohio
Crestview Hills, Kentucky
Dayton, Ohio
Grove City (Columbus), Ohio

Our MBSAQIP-accredited surgery center is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, where we treat patients from all over Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. If you need help losing weight and keeping it off, request a consultation today!

If you are a self-pay patient and want info on pricing and financing for gastric bypass, click here!

Minimally Invasive Approach

During the procedure, surgeons usually use laparoscopic techniques (using small incisions and long-shafted instruments), to implant an inflatable silicone band into the patient’s abdomen. Like a wristwatch, the band is fastened around the upper stomach to create a new, tiny stomach pouch that limits and controls the amount of food you eat. It also creates a small outlet that slows the emptying process into the stomach and the intestines. As a result, patients experience an earlier sensation of fullness and are satisfied with smaller amounts of food. In turn, this results in weight loss.

Safest and Least Traumatic Procedure
There is no cutting, stapling or stomach re-routing involved in gastric bands. They are considered one of the safest and least traumatic compared to other weight loss surgeries. For patients who suffer many medical problems due to extra weight, the risk of surgery is far less than the risk of obesity. The laparoscopic approach to the surgery also results in less, shortened hospital stay and quicker recovery. If for any reason the Lap Band System needs to be removed, the stomach generally returns to its original form.

Adjustable Treatment
Gastric bands are the only “adjustable” weight-loss surgeries. This means that YOU HAVE CONTROL over your path to a healthier life! The diameter of the band is adjustable for a customized weight-loss rate. Your individual needs can change as you lose weight. For example, pregnant patients can expand their band to accommodate a growing fetus, while patients who aren’t experiencing significant weight loss can have their bands tightened.

To modify the size of the band, its inner surface can be inflated or deflated with a saline solution. The band is connected by tubing to an access port, which is placed well below the skin during surgery. After the operation, the surgeon can control the amount of saline in the band by entering the port with a fine needle through the skin. Adjustments are typically simple office procedure, and a numbing spray is used to minimize patient discomfort. Dr. Curry is the most experienced Lap Band fill doctor in Ohio, having done more than 20,000 band adjustments.

Our practice was one of the earliest adopters of the new Lap Band AP (“Advanced Performance”) System, which is a 3rd generation gastric band. This new and improved band has numerous advantages over other bands, including a much softer, larger volume cuff and greater surface area contact of the cuff with the stomach. We believe this will lead to faster weight loss and even fewer complications. We use the AP system exclusively for those who chose the Lap Band System. We were the first in Ohio to place the Lap Band AP.

If you would like to learn more about the Lap Band and other surgical options, request a consultation now!