Lap Band Lawsuit

The lap band, which is also known as laparoscopic gastric banding, is a trendy new bariatric procedure that has been touted as a safe alternative to gastric bypass surgery. Unfortunately, a variety of extremely serious complications have been reported in patients who have undergone lap band surgery. Side effects associated with the lap band have been reported to include ulcers, seroma, erosion, esophagus dilation, and stomach wall deterioration.

Free Lap Band Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one has been injured by a lap band, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit against the manufacturer of the lap band and we can help.

Lap Band Overview

The lap band is an inflatable silicone device designed to be placed around the top portion of the stomach to create a smaller stomach pouch. This limits the amount of food that can be eaten at one time and increases the time it takes for the stomach to empty, thereby prolonging a feeling of fullness. The lap band thus achieves weight loss by limiting food intake, reducing appetite, and slowing digestion.

The lap band is only recommended for individuals who have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more, or 35 if accompanied by an aggravating condition such as diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol.

BMI classifications are as follows:

normal – 18.5 – 24.9
overweight – 25.0 – 29.9
obese – 30.0 – 39.9
morbidly obese – 40.0 and above

What’s the problem with the lap band?

If the lap band slips, the upper part of the stomach may push it down, causing a barrier that can lead to the intolerance of food and even total obstruction of the stomach. If this occurs, immediate surgical intervention is required to reposition the band. Another complication commonly reported with the lap band is erosion, which tends to occur when the body identifies the band as a foreign object. If the body responds in this manner, it will attempt to eliminate the lab band into the stomach. Surgical removal of the band is usually necessary if erosion occurs. Additionally, the lap band has been known to break and become infected, which can lead to a whole host of serious complications.

Lap Band Complications

Some of the most commonly reported complications associated with lap bands include:

ulcers
seroma
erosion
slippage
deflation
port leaks
hematoma
port problems
esophagus dilation
stomach wall deterioration
death

Lap Band FDA Warning

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that it has taken action against eight California surgical centers and an independent marketing firm for misleading advertising of the lap band. In the letters, the administration warns that billboards and advertising inserts fail to provide required risk information including warnings, precautions, possible side effects and contraindications. The FDA also stated that it is concerned that the font size of information related to risks on the advertising inserts is too small to be realistically read by consumers.

“The FDA takes seriously its responsibility to protect consumers from products promoted without adequate warnings,” said Steve Silverman, director of the Office of Compliance in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. “It’s particularly troublesome when advertisements don’t communicate the serious risks associated with medical devices.”

With more than 20 million people in the United States classified as obese or morbidly obese, it stands to reason that there will be no shortage of extreme weight loss remedies on the market anytime soon. However, this does not mean that you should jeopardize your own personal safety attempting to lose weight. If a lap band recipient becomes pregnant or requires an increase in nutritional intake due to a medical condition, the band will likely need to be deflated or removed. Additionally, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin or ibuprofen should be used with extreme caution, as they may increase the risk of band erosion. The lap band is designed as a long-term implant, and will most likely need to be replaced or repositioned at some point in the future.

Do You Have a Lap Band Lawsuit?

The Product Liability & Defective Drug Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in lap band lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new lap band injury cases in all 50 states.