Here is a good article summing up how lap band works. It also quotes stats as to the complication rate:
The low risk is why Dr. Svein Holsaeter and Dr. Tim Eldridge started performing the surgeries. Holsaeter said he is one of a number of physicians who were looking for a safer way to help patients lose weight.
"The risk of dying from bypass surgery is one in 200," Holsaeter said. "The risk of having a fatal event from this is one in 2000.
"We don't make big incisions. We make incisions that vary from about an inch down to one-eighth of an inch."
Eldridge explained the procedure with the analogy of a pouch. He said that the band actually restricts the amount of food that can enter the stomach, which means the patient has to make some changes to his or her lifestyle.
As always, try the low carb diet first, because after any type of weight-loss surgery, you will be on a low carb diet afterwards. And for the best description of the aftermath around, read Living After WLS .
within a very short time my father will have surgery on his stomach with a reduction of bypass and as nobody in my family has been operated before I think the best will thus seek help for his recovery as soon as possible followed the advice are proved necessary so that over time his health keep it as stable as possible
Posted by: after bypass surgery | March 19, 2010 at 01:20 PM