Band is gastric-bypass alternative

Dr. O. Layton Alldredge says seeing people who have struggled with chronic, severe obesity finally find a way to lose weight is "the most fun I've had in this career."

"It's just fun to see their lives change, how different things become, how excited they are."

He and his colleague Dr. Darrin Hansen know that weight loss isn't simple, especially for people who are seriously overweight and have battled it for a long time.

"There are a lot of people who have tried many different weight-loss options that have been unsuccessful, for whatever reason," Hansen said. "They just can't stand one more grapefruit or protein drink. They have been unable to exist indefinitely on that diet. I think a lot of people can relate to that. Yeah, you can do anything for a couple of weeks. But staying on a regimen is difficult."

Alldredge and Hansen, both surgeons at Alta View Hospital, will discuss surgical options for weight loss today during the Deseret Morning News/Intermountain Health Care Hotline. They'll take calls from 10 a.m. to noon.

One of the most effective tools the two surgeons have found is the LAP-BAND, an operation approved in 2001 for people who are severely overweight and at risk of the health complications that come with obesity, who have not succeeded in dropping pounds with diet and exercise programs.

Gastric bypass remains the most popular weight-loss surgery in the United States. But Alldredge and Hansen believe that may change when more people see friends and family members lose weight with the LAP-BAND.

Hansen likes LAP-BAND because it's adjustable, less invasive, doesn't alter the digestive system and can even be reversed, he said. And though weight loss is slower than with gastric bypass, there are fewer potential complications.

The LAP-BAND is placed laproscopically, usually as an outpatient procedure, Alldredge said. They're back at work in a week or less.

A band is placed around the top of the stomach, creating a small gastric pouch and a narrowed opening into the rest of the stomach. That band is adjusted by the physician — either inflated or deflated — through an external port several times a year as needed.

The small size of the gastric pouch creates a feeling of fullness early and slows digestion of the food, which will drop into the stomach and be processed normally.

It's certainly not for everyone, the duo agree. "The key to success with LAP-BAND is follow-up care. The surgery needs to be done well, but the key is adjusting it and getting that right. You need a commitment to long-term care, and if you're not willing or able to do that, it's not a good idea," Alldredge said.