Lap Band Blog

You’ve done the research, you qualify for the procedure, you know how you will pay for it, and you have thought long and hard about whether or not weight loss surgery is the right thing for you to do, and all of the signs point to ‘yes’. But with all of these decisions made, what comes next? Now, the final step before your operation is finding a qualified surgeon to handle your Lap-Band® surgery.

This may seem like the easiest part, but don’t be deceived. While the Lap-Band® is a simple procedure that is handled by over 3,000 surgeons in the US alone, you still want to make sure that everything checks out, and you get the most qualified practitioner around, before you settle on a doctor. Follow these steps to find the right surgeon to perform your weight loss surgery.

1. Use the many online resources to begin your search.
2. Choose a few likely candidates from the mass of names, and mark them down. You will want to do plenty of research on each surgeon to find out if they have the credentials that you can trust. Try visiting the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, which will list all doctors who are board certified. If one of your choices isn’t on the list, cross them off.
3. Visit the American Medical Association’s website, and do a search of each doctor. For a small fee you can get a detailed history on any physician in the country, including malpractice suits.
4. Take all of the names left on your list and begin contacting their offices to find out more about how they perform their procedures, if they provide follow-up care, and if they take your insurance. In the end this should give you the final details to help you make an informed decision.

Keep in mind that every surgery holds some risk to the patient, particularly to the morbidly obese. However, the Lap-Band® System is a much safer method then any other, including Gastric Bypass, as it is minimally invasive and can be performed laparoscopically, which minimizes the risks.

Nevertheless, you will want to make sure the surgeon who does your gastric band is completely qualified, and has performed the procedure at least 100 times, which is the minimum amount of operations a surgeon must have been involved in to become board certified. Pay close attention to what percentage of those were performed by the surgeon themselves.

Using these tips you should easily find the right doctor to handle your Lap-Band® surgery and out patient care, allowing you to focus on your recovery and weight loss. So, start looking for your surgeon today, and you could be on your way to a happier, healthier life thanks to the Lap-Band® System in no time.