Lap Band Surgery refers to a type of bariatric / weight-loss surgery that involves the use of the LAP-BAND® System. Basically, the LAP-BAND® is an adjustable band that reduces stomach capacity. This in turn reduces the amount of food a person can eat in one sitting.
This reduction in stomach capacity makes lap band surgery similar to gastric bypass surgery, but the LAP-BAND® is widely regarded to be much less invasive than gastric bypass.
Definitions from around the web:
“The LAP-BAND® is a silicone band that is placed around the stomach, creating a small upper stomach pouch that prevents a patient from eating excessively. It is only a restrictive device (not a malabsorptive one), and can be adjusted and/or removed, if necessary.” -www.lapbandsolutions.com
“[T]he newest and the only device globally with FDA approval for adjustable surgical treatment of morbid obesity in the United States.” - www.lapband.com
“LAP-BAND … creates a small stomach pouch that holds about 1 tablespoon of food and a small narrowing to the rest of the stomach. The small pouch helps control a person’s sense of fullness and how much he or she is able to eat — thereby controlling appetite, which results in weight loss.” -www.webmd.com
“LAP-BAND® surgery works by restricting the amount of food the stomach can hold by placing an adjustable band around the upper part of the stomach. There is no cutting or stapling needed to divide the upper stomach pouch from the lower stomach. Unlike stomach stapling, the LAP-BAND® System can be adjusted to suit your needs.” -UCSD Medical Center
“Approved by the FDA in June 2001, the BioEnterics® LAP-BAND Adjustable Gastric Banding System … 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, more than 100,000 LAP-BAND procedures have been performed around the world.” -VCU Surgical Weight Loss Center
Related articles: Lap Band Overview | Cost of Lap Band Surgery