What kind of anesthesia is used for lap-band surgery?

Question

I am thinking of having lap-band surgery and I was wondering what type of anesthesia was normally used and if you have had the lap-band procedure.

Answer 1

It is done under General Anesthetics. As for which drugs specifically I cannot tell you.  I had the band put in on May 12, 2008. What I remember mostly about that day was that it took more time to get prepared for the surgery then it took to actually have the surgery.  I went in at 7:00am spent a half hour on paperwork, then an hour taking vitals, getting dressed, and getting an IV.  Then I had to wait.  By the time, I got into the operating room it was 9:30.  The anesthesiologist said “Ok it’s I’m going to give you medication to make you sleep”.  It seamed as if before I had a chance to blink my eyes I woke up at 10:30 in recovery.  

The surgery only took about 45 minutes.

If you have any concerns just bring them up with your anesthesiologist.  Most the time they are very helpful (I have had five surgeries in my life).

Getting the band was the best thing I have ever decided to do in my life. I am down 67lbs. I went from a BMI of 57 to 49 after 4 months (3 months after surgery and 1 month before). I have had to stop taking my blood pressure meds completely. I have had to reduce my CPAP from 15 to 13 then to 11. I went from taking Percocet (OxyContin and Tylenol) for my knees to taking Advil.

If you decided to do it just make sure you have a good support system for after the surgery.  The people who do best are the ones that attend support group meeting, have friends who help, and have a good Doctor.

Also a good website to check out is http://www.obesityhelp.com/.  There is alot of good information about all types of weight loss surgeries, not just the lap-band, and a lot of support information.

Answer 2

The lap band is done under general anesthesia which means that you would be intubated and sedated. It is relatively non-invasive and it's normally a pretty quick surgery as well.