Lap-band Surgery is known as Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding or Allergan's LAP-BAND® System.

The LAP-BAND® System is designed to reduce the amount of food that the stomach can hold by using an adjustable gastric band around the top of the stomach to restrict the amount of food that can be eaten. 

Since its clinical introduction in 1993, more than 180,000 LAP-BAND® procedures have been performed around the world. Over 13,500 have been performed in Australia.

There are several benefits for deciding on the LAP-BAND® System. These include: 

• The LAP-BAND® System is adjustable and reversible
• The surgery is performed through small incisions and with long-shafted instruments
• There are no major cuts to the abdomen
• The gastric band, like a belt, is fastened around the top of the stomach
• Unlike other bariatric surgery, the stomach and intestines are not cut or re-routed
• The band presses on the stomach creating sensations of fullness.  The band can be adjusted to increase or decrease hunger sensations
• Only small amounts of food can be eaten at once because of the tiny pouch above the band
• Even though weight loss surgery patients often have many other serious illnesses, the comparable risk is about the same as for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal).