University of California, San Diego Medical Center – Center for the Treatment of Obesity

Adjustments

Tailoring the Gastric Band to Your Weight Loss Goals

The gastric band procedure is the only adjustable weight-loss surgery available in the United States, making it customizable for each individual.

Approximately 4-6 weeks after your surgery, you may undergo your first band adjustment. The adjustments are done without surgery and take about 10 minutes. As you lose weight, additional adjustments may be needed and are performed on an as-needed basis.

Schedule An Adjustment

To schedule an adjustment, please call (619) 471-0701.

How Adjustments Are Made

When the band is initially placed around the stomach, it is connected to tubing which connects to an access port fixed beneath the skin of the abdomen. The port cannot be seen and can only be felt when pushing on the abdomen.  Through the port and the tubing, the inner surface of the band can be inflated or deflated by a medical professional using saline solution injected directly into the port.

The adjustment process allows for each LAP-BAND® or REALIZE Band patient's individual needs and progress to be addressed. If you have any questions about your adjustment, please feel free to contact us.

For example, a pregnant woman can have her band adjusted to accommodate a growing fetus, while patients who are not experiencing significant weight loss can have their bands tightened.

If the band is too loose, adding more saline can reduce the size of the opening to the lower region of the stomach. If the band is too tight, removing some saline will loosen the band and reduce the amount of restriction.