Lap Band Surgery in Sydney

A lap band is the common abbreviation used for a "laparoscopic adjustable gastric band". This band is a silicone medical device that is placed on the top part of the stomach and can be inflated to help control the amount of food that a person eats. The device is mainly used to treat obesity, generally identified by a high BMI (Body Mass Index) of over 40. However this procedure can also be used for patients with a BMI range of 35-40 who suffer from obesity related conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and others.

The procedure is also referred to by some as "Gastric banding".

If you have done your research on Google, you will no doubt have come across a wealth of information. The Internet is an excellent resource for research.

Like any surgical procedure, with lap band surgery you are likely to find forum threads and discussions on the most cost effective methods to have the surgery done. One method that might appeal to you is having lap band surgery performed in another country where the costs may be significantly cheaper than having it done locally. People that support this idea reason that often times the cost of travel & accommodation plus the cost of surgery is equal to or even cheaper than a local option and therefore you get to have a holiday on top of the surgery for the same cost. In the case of US citizens that live near the Mexican border, it becomes even more appealing because the trip over the border can be quick and easy.

However much this may appeal to you, it's important to consider the risks involved. Travelling to another country for whatever reason firstly means that you enter land governed by different laws. Additionally, the surgeons and medical practitioners would be subject to different standards and accreditations. You also need to consider post-surgery follow ups, and many other factors which may require you to revisit your surgeon again.

Travelling interstate for your surgery is a lot less risky and may be worth it if you are very specific about the surgeon that performs your lap band surgery. It's perfectly understandable that a high profile lap band surgeon commands more respect and interest from patients who are willing to travel across states. The consideration here needs to be for follow ups and is a lot less related to law associated risks.

It would be safe to advise that when considering surgeons that are not in your local area, don't allow money to influence your decision!

According to statistics released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 54% of adults in 2004-2005 were classified as overweight or obese, which was a sharp increase on the 38% reported in the same group in 1989-1990.

Alarmingly, in the same time periods the percentage of men classified as obese more than doubled from 9% to 19%. Women classified as obese increased from 10% 17%.

Whilst there is no new data available, it wouldn't surprise anyone to see these statistics increasing again with the stress and pressures of living today.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

If you live in Sydney, you have an opportunity to visit several free information seminars that are run by various surgeons in and around Sydney.

Attending an information session gives you a chance to ask your own questions directly to the surgeons which means that the answers you get are professional. You could even attend several seminars from different clinics and see what the difference is in the way that each clinic puts together the lap band package.

You can search for free seminars using this link.

OClinic in Sydney has a page that discusses in detail what's involved in their lap band surgery information evenings. Visit this link for more details.

If you would prefer just to go straight to a surgeon for a consultation, then you can find all the clinics and surgeons listed at this link.