ReachMD

The lap-band device dramatically reduces the size of a patient's stomach, and as such, it can be effective for weight loss in very obese patients. It offers at least one major advantage over gastric bypass surgery, in that the lap-band can be removed. But can the lap-band procedure also be safe and effective for patients who are even slightly obese, or do the potential risks outweigh the benefits for these patients? Dr. Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Research Center for Women & Families and its cancer prevention and treatment fund in Washington, D.C., discusses the criteria for patients to receive lap-banding. What concerns surround the issue of lowering the body-mass index (or BMI) threshold for patients eligible for this procedure? What are the long-term risks of lap-bands? Dr. Maurice Pickard hosts.