A Brief History Of Lap Band Surgery
Introduction
Obesity is a constantly growing epidemic with serious concerns as it gives rise to high-risk diseases involving heart and diabetes. It also affects the physical and emotional well-being of the people suffering from it. Traditionally, diet and exercise play an important role in controlling weight. However, with excess weight, even such traditional methods tend to fail. In such cases, lapband surgery steps in to provide you a safe and viable option to lose weight.
Lapband-When and where
The Lapband system for weight loss was fully developed and initially performed in the year 1993 in the European state of Belgium. The recent certification in 2001 by the US FDA only goes on to prove the effectiveness and safety of the procedure. It has truly stood the tests of time as it gives a normal life to more and more obese people all over the world.
A Historical Overview
The distinct advantages of the Lapband system like reduced pain, shorter hospital stays, quicker healing time, no trauma and so forth are well known and surgeons swear for the effectiveness of the procedure. But when this type of surgery began to get popular by the 1990s, the procedure was far from achieving perfection.
Dr. Lubomyr Kuzmak, an American surgeon based in New Jersey introduced the novel method of open adjustable silicone gastric banding or ASGB. In 1991, a confidential project was begun by Allergen, known at that time as Inamed Development Company. Two Belgian surgeons Dr. Mitiku Belachew and Dr. M. Legrand were involved in this project. They developed the novel laparoscopic gastric banding for the purpose of treating excess weight in individuals.
The first of this kind of surgery was performed in Huy, Belgium on September 1, 1993. At the same time a clinical trial program was also unleashed. When this trial concluded in March 1994, the same place hosted the 1st International Workshop on laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. The event saw participation of 30 surgeons from around the world. Thereafter, many workshops were held in different international venues. Allergan laid down a strict policy which dictated that only those surgeons who had participated in the training programs organized by Allergan would be given the key to the Lapband system.
The criterion for the surgeons to utilize the Lapband system was to have a skilled experience in bariatic surgery other than advanced laparoscopic skills. The surgeons also need to be highly experienced and qualified in treating grossly overweight patients.
Expansion with Success
As the procedure saw success knocking on its door, it became available in the market outside the US so that trained surgeons can use it for weight loss treatment. The US Food and Drug Administration started clinical trials for the system in 1995. According to the FDA regulations, clinical trials have to be established in approved centers for an implantable device like the Lapband to be used in widely. The lapband system received proper approval from the FDA in 2001.
Success Story So Far
The advantages of the Lapband system have made it a worldwide success with the system recording over 350,000 distributions. Thousands have successfully lost oodles of weight thus reducing serious health hazards and have gained a better mental constitution and live happier.