What can I expect when I am admitted to hospital and prior to the operation?
When you arrive you will be issued with an identification bracelet and shown to your room.
You will be asked a number of pre-admission questions. You are then weighed and your temperature and blood pressure are taken.
Once you have been given the all clear, you will be measured and issued with white stockings to help alleviate blood clots.
Patients may also be fitted with inflatable overstockings which are filled with warm water and attached to a pump to keep the blood circulating OR given an injection of heparin in the lower stomach as a precaution against blood clots.
The anaesthetist will visit and offer you pre-med tablets to make you feel drowsy.
Your surgeon should also visit you prior to the operation to check everything is okay.
Patients may be required to take a shower, with the antiseptic soap provided and change into the surgical gown to await procedure.
Once you have been wheeled into the operating theatre you will anaesthetised either through injection or the oxygen mask.
How long does the operation take?
The length of surgery varies for every patient and the skill of the surgeon, but the average operation time is 1-2 hours.
How is the operation performed?
The operation is performed laparoscopically. This means that, rather than having to open patients from the breastbone to the pelvis, the surgeon makes small incisions in the stomach and then uses rods to manipulate and place the band.
This key-hole surgery is less invasive than traditional surgical methods and results in a faster recovery for the patient.
If for some reason the operation cannot be performed laparoscopically, the surgeon will have to cut patients open. It is very rare for the surgeon to have to resort to this more traditional form of surgery.
How can I expect to feel after the operation?
After you have regained consciousness in recovery and have been transported back to your room you can expect to feel discomfort in your midriff and have some difficulty getting into a comfortable position or moving around. This discomfort can be minimised with painkillers and eventually subsides within about 48hrs.
In addition to this discomfort, many people report experiencing referred pain in their shoulders. Again, this can be minimised with the painkillers and will usually subside in 48 hours.
The gas used to inflate the stomach causes some people to experience unusually high amounts of burping and flatulence. These symptoms can be alleviated by drinking Gripe Water.
Some patients experience nausea as a reaction to the General Anaesthetic. These patients will be given a patch or anti-nausea medication to prevent vomiting.
Some patients experience diahorrea as a reaction to the antibiotics in the drip.
What can I expect to happen during that first day?
Over the first 4-6 hours after surgery nursing staff will come in hourly to check temperature and blood pressure.
You will be given suppository painkillers four hourly over the first 24 hours. If you have any difficulty taking the suppositories, or simply prefer not to, you can ask for liquid Panadol. Stronger painkillers are also available for patients experiencing severe pain.
You may get a visit from the hospital physiotherapist who will encourage you to get out of bed and walk as soon as possible to minimise the risk of blood clots.
You will be receiving all of your nutritional requirements through an intravenous drip.
How long will I be in hospital?
The exact length of stay in hospital varies, but on average you can expect to be in hospital for two nights before being discharged.
The surgeon will discharge you when you are mobilised, healing well at the wound sites and able to drink confidently.
What will I need to do once I get home?
For the first two weeks after surgery you will be required to be on a fluid diet to give the stomach a chance to heal.
A week after the operation you will need to remove the original dressings from the wounds and possibly replace them with medical tape.
You will also be required to wear the white stockings until fully mobilised.
Is there anything I won’t be able to do once I get home?
The surgeons recommend that you refrain from heavy lifting, reaching and vigorous exercise in the first 2-3 weeks following surgery in order to give the stomach and the wounds a chance to heal without being stretched.
In addition to this, you may find it difficult to twist without feeling a twinge in your stomach and it often takes people 2-3 weeks before they can comfortably sleep on their side or stomach.
How soon can I go back to work?
Exactly how quickly you bounce back from the operation is very individual.
Most Lapbanders report that they have regained full mobility and energy within 5-7 days and are ready to go back to work.
It is recommended that you give yourself 7-10 days before going back to work.
Are there any stitches?
The New Zealand surgeons use dissolvable stitches under the skin which are not visible.
As the wound heals the stitches gradually dissolve so there is no requirement to return to the surgery to have them removed.
Will there be any scarring?
The surgeon will make five incisions in the stomach.
The main scar is about 5cm and is located in the centre of the stomach just down from the ribcage. There are four other marks, about 1cm in length, surrounding the main scar.
The following picture shows how the scars fade to invisibility within a year:
