Services
Lap Band
What is the Lap Band Procedure?
The Allergan Lap-Band is a surgical weight loss option that can help you achieve sustainable weight control over your life-time. It is appropriate for individuals who have a BMI of greater than 35 (use the calculator). Your insurance company will have specific guidelines regarding comorbidities (illnesses that can be attributed to obesity) and coverage. Contact your insurance company for more information.
The Lap Band is a procedure to assist the patient in obtaining and maintaining a healthy body weight over their lifetime. It does not involve cutting or rerouting the bowel and can be reversible. It can be an excellent option for the right patient. For more information online, please see Allergan's patient information.
Is Lap Band right for you?
Patients will typically see Dr. Beane or Dr. Minks in consultation after completing initial paperwork and an online educational seminar called Emmi. Emmi informs you about the Lap-Band procedure, risks, complications and expected outcomes. It also allows you to submit questions to be discussed at your consultation. After the initial consult, information will be gathered from all of your physicians and your care continues with us partnering with your routine physicians. This combination provides further support for medically managed weight loss, while we work with you to achieve insurance approval and to assist in your weight loss efforts.
Why Choose Grand River Surgery for
your Lap Band Procedure?
Our Lap Band program is coordinated by Rachel Dickerson. Rachel is a nurse practitioner who assists our patients through the complex process of insurance approval and understanding what this surgery can really accomplish. She sees patients on a recurring basis as part of the pre- and post-op programs and is their advocate in dealing with their insurance company. Rachel has completed the Allergan Lap Band Total Care Program and is recognized as a knowledgeable individual within the field.
We have additional staff who will work with you to help you more fully understand how to achieve a more healthy body weight. In addition to Rachel, the surgeons, the professional counselor, dieticians, nurse educator, dedicated staff and bariatric psychologists all work with you to help you finally achieve success.
Our corporate affiliations with the YMCA's of Metro Grand Rapids & Battle Creek, and the Holland Aquatic Center offer our patients one-on-one exercise education and support.
The band is placed around the top of the stomach and
a small "port" is placed on the abdomen wall, under the skin. This allows for the band size to be changed as needed.
If you heard our commerical on the radio, please let us know. Also, the patients featured in the commercial have excelled in their efforts to become more healthy. They're becoming more healthy by making a lifelong committment to dietary, behavioral and exercise change. They are also committed to ongoing, routine care with our office. Their results are not typical; most patients achieve substantial weight loss with reduction or resolution of their comorbidities, however. Superior results are possible with a comprehensive approach at a Lap-Band Total Care Certified Practice.