After you get to the operating room for the lap band procedure, the nurse is going to have you move to the operating room bed. The anesthesiologist or CRNA will then begin placing sensors on you, and the circulating nurse may be placing SCD’s onto your legs or feet. Soon after all monitors are positioned, the anesthesiologist or CRNA will then begin having you breath oxygen through an oxygen mask. Soon after, you’ll start to get medication through your IV to make you become unconscious. You will be receiving general anesthesia for this particular procedure, therefore you will need to have a breathing tube placed. As soon as the medication is taking effect and you’re unconscious, the anesthesiologist or CRNA will put in the breathing tube. After the breathing tube is secure, you are going to be positioned and prepped for surgery. If you are male, your abdomen might be shaved. You might have a catheter placed in your bladder to empty urine. The circulating nurse will then “prep” your belly utilizing betadine or “CHG” – a germ-killing antimicrobial skin cleaning solution.
Once your abdomen is prepped with the skin cleanser, the surgical team will begin to place sterile drapes over you. You will be covered completely with these sterile drapes except for the area in which they will be making the incisions. After all the drapes are on, and all the equipment the surgeon will be using is hooked up and ready to go, the lap band procedure will begin.
The surgeon will start by making various small cuts in your abdomen. These incisions will be used to put the laparoscope and laparoscopic instruments through. Co2 gas is pumped within in order to inflate your abdomen; this is done so it will be much easier for the surgeon to see. The surgeon uses the laparoscope to see within your abdomen without needing to make a major incision and open your belly. The surgeon will be viewing a monitor which the video coming from the laparoscope will be sent to through the lap band procedure.
A unique adjustable round band will be inserted through one of the small incision sites, and very carefully placed surrounding the upper part of your stomach utilizing the laparoscopic instruments. After the band is put within the appropriate position, it will be fastened in place. An access port that’s attached to the band with specific tubing will be placed into the abdominal wall. This access port is placed to where it will be later used to modify the band. Through a specific needle and syringe to increase or take away saline, the band will become tight or loose. Right after the band and port are properly secured, the incisions are closed up with either staples or suture.
When the lap band procedure is over the anesthesiologist or CRNA will begin to wake you up. You may hear them asking you to open your mouth or to squeeze their hand. They do this to make sure you are awake enough to breath on your own before they take the breathing tube out. They will then remove the breathing tube. You will be moved onto a stretcher and they will wheel you to the recovery room or PACU (post anesthesia care unit).
Want to find out more about weight loss surgery, then visit Kate J’s site to learn about your weight loss surgery options.
