Lap Band Now for Teens, Too?

​With fewer adults choosing to ungergo lap band surgery, the device's manfacturer is now focusing on obese teens. The company has requested FDA approval to use the lap band procedure on patients as young as 14. Clinical trials are currently being conducted.

Risks

A lap band is a ring made of silicone that is surgically placed around the stomach. It reduces the amount of food that can be eaten and assists with weight loss.

The device is installed under general anesthesia, which always carries risk of complications. In California, four adults have died within days after a lap band surgery, just in the last two years.

Some bariatric surgery experts have argued that a traditional gastric bypass procedure is a safer option, as nothing has to be placed in the body. Lap band surgery is considered to be the last resort for people who are morbidly obese and unable to shed pounds by exercising and following a healthy diet.

Results

While some people have experienced dramatic weight loss and a better quality of life after lap band, others have not been so fortunate. A study done in Europe revealed that lap band patients had a poor longterm outcome and often had to undergo further surgeries or have the device removed entirely.

The company insists that lap band works and unlike gastric bypass, is easily reversed.

Qualifications

Teenagers wanting to have lap band would need to meet a weight requirement and would have to be diagnosed with a medical problem related to obesity, such as diabetes or heart disease. They would also need to weigh more than an adult of a comparable height.

Currently, 12 percent of teenagers in the United States are obese. Experts have stated that it would be better to wean teens off high carb foods and encourage exercise rather than surgery.

FDA approval of lap band surgery for teens could take several years, which is a normal timetable according to the company.