• ER Wait Times

    Emergency Room Wait Time
    ER wait times explained

    Less than 30 minutes

    Newton-Wellesley Hospital

    2014 Washington Street

    Newton, MA 02462

    617-243-6000

    Walk-In Wait Time
    Walk-In wait times explained

    Currently Closed

    Newton-Wellesley Hospital Waltham Walk-In

    9 Hope Ave

    Waltham, MA 02453

    617-243-5590

    Monday through Friday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

    Saturday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

    Sunday: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

    View Holiday Hours
    In case of emergency call 9-1-1

      Wait times are approximate and subject to change

    Should I go to Urgent Care or the Emergency Room to treat my medical problem?
  • Request Appointment
  • Giving
  • Patient Gateway Login
  • Contact

Need to talk to us?

Call 617-243-6000
  • Find a Doctor
  • Find a Location
  • Conditions & Treatments
  • Search
  • More
  • Patients & Visitors
  • Classes & Events
  • Insurance & Billing
  • Medical Records
  • Community Resources
  • Careers
  • About Us
  • Medical Education
  • Volunteer
  • Research
  • News
  • Be Well Blog

What can we help you find?

Need help finding a doctor?

Call 617-243-6566 or toll free 866-NWH-DOCS to speak to a CareFinder representative.

Newton-Wellesley Hospital

2014 Washington Street

Newton, MA 02462

617-243-6000

Open 24 hours
Lab Hours and Holiday Hours Vary
 

Get Directions | View Hours

Ambulatory Care Center - Natick

307 W Central St

Natick, MA 01760

617-243-5345

Get Directions | View Hours

Ambulatory Care Center - Newton

159 Wells Ave

Newton Centre, MA 02459

617-243-6000

Get Directions | View Hours

Ambulatory Care Center - Walpole

111 Norfolk Street

Walpole, MA 02081maps

617-243-5345

Get Directions | View Hours

Ambulatory Care Center – Wellesley

978 Worcester Road (rte 9)

Wellesley, Massachusetts 02482

781-235-5200

Get Directions | View Hours

Maxwell Blum Emergency Pavilion

2014 Washington Street

Newton, MA 02462

617-243-6000

Open 24 hours

Lab Hours and Holiday Hours Vary

Get Directions | View Hours

Outpatient Surgery Center - Wellesley

25 Washington Street

Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481

617-219-1520

Get Directions | View Hours

Waltham Walk-In

9 Hope Ave

Waltham, MA 02453

617-243-5590

Monday through Saturday: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm

Sunday: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

Lab Hours and Holiday Hours Vary

Get Directions | View Hours

Our Locations

  • Newton-Wellesley Hospital
  • Ambulatory Care Center - Natick
  • Ambulatory Care Center - Newton
  • Ambulatory Care Center - Walpole
  • Ambulatory Care Center – Wellesley
  • Emergency Department
  • Outpatient Surgery Center - Wellesley
  • Waltham Walk-In
View All Locations

Our Specialties

  • Cancer Care
  • Orthopedics
  • Primary Care
  • Cardiovascular
  • Weight Loss Surgery
  • Maternity
  • Pediatrics
  • Women's Health
  • Robotic Surgery
  • Heartburn and Reflux

Browse A-Z

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z
  • Anesthesiology
  • Nursing

  • Breast Center
  • Ophthalmology

  • Cardiology
  • Orthopedic Walk-In

  • Dermatology
  • Pain Management

  • Emergency Medicine
  • Psychiatry

  • Family Medicine
  • Radiology

  • Gastroenterology
  • Rehabilitation

  • Hematology
  • Spine Center

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Sports Medicine

  • Joint Center
  • Surgery

  • Lab
  • Walk-In

  • Medicine
  • Women's Imaging

  • Neurology
  • View All
Gastric Band Removal
Request an Appointment
or call us 617-243-3724

Section Menu

  • Welcome
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Awards & Recognition
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Contact Us / Appointments
  • Obesity Facts
    • Causes of Obesity
    • How Obesity Affects Health
  • Treatment Options
    • Sleeve Gastrectomy
    • Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
    • Gastric Band Removal
    • Gastric Band Conversion
    • Duodenal Switch Procedure
    • Cosmetic Procedures After Surgery
  • Patient Resources
    • Making the Decision
    • Support Groups
    • Nutrition 101
    • Helpful Links
  • Success Stories
    • Andrea's Story
    • Ann's Story
    • Aubrey's Story
    • Craig's Story
    • Jeff's Story
    • Jen's Story
    • John's Story
    • Marty's Story
    • Ryan's Story
    • Steve's Story

Gastric Band Removal

Problems arising from laparoscopic gastric bands (lap bands) are common, and lap band removal is becoming more and more popular. As many as half of all people with gastric bands eventually have their lap band taken out for a number of reasons ranging from inadequate weight loss to serious complications.

Fortunately, there are options for revising a gastric band to another weight loss surgery to maintain and improve long-term weight loss and health problems. The Center for Weight Loss Surgery at Newton-Wellesley Hospital does not place lap bands, but we can remove them and convert to another procedure. Learn more about our laparoscopic gastric band conversion procedure.

About Gastric Bands

It might seem that placing a laparoscopic gastric band around the stomach is the easiest and safest method available for weight loss. However, complications of lap bands include:

  • band slippage
  • gastric erosion (where the stomach tissue is damaged because of the band pressure)
  • esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus)
  • pouch dilation (spreading of the stomach behind the band restriction)
  • laparoscopic port complications (infection or positioning issues)
  • failure in significant weight loss

Additionally, the Lap band procedure does not have any metabolic effect and therefore does not adequately treat the disease of obesity.

Up to half of gastric band operations are estimated to have some form of complication, many of which require surgical intervention, and the weight loss failure rate in the U.S. can be anywhere from 16 to 50 percent.

This is where Newton-Wellesley’s Center for Weight Loss can help. We can remove your lap band and convert to another procedures.

When Gastric Band Removal Is Appropriate

  • Lack of adequate weight loss
  • Band erosion
  • Band infection
  • Band intolerance symptoms (includes nausea, vomiting, or a continuous feeling of discomfort or pain)
  • Band slippage
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Esophageal dysmotility and/or dilatation
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • Pouch dilation (enlarging of the stomach pouch that forms above the band)
  • Port infection
  • Flipped or migrating port

The Gastric Band Removal Procedure

Regardless of how your initial gastric band surgery was performed, it will likely be possible for your removal procedure to be performed laparoscopically.

After the gastric band removal procedure you may be able to leave Newton-Wellesley Hospital the day of your procedure or have a short (one- to two-day) hospital stay depending on existing medical conditions, any repair of the stomach injured by the band or if you choose to convert to another weight loss surgical procedure.

The removal procedure is likely to carry a similar risk of complications as the initial procedure; in other words, a relatively low risk.

Weight Gain After Gastric Band Removal

Following removal of the gastric band, most people’s stomach returns to its normal, pre-operative state.  If you have developed good diet, exercise, and lifestyle habits and are able to maintain these habits following removal of your band, you may be able to keep the weight off.

Unfortunately for many people, the loss of restriction to the stomach after the band removal usually leads to an increased feeling of hunger and the ability to eat larger quantities of food.  As a result, many patients who undergo removal of their gastric band revert to their pre-surgery weight, unless they decide to undergo conversion to another weight loss procedure. Learn more about lap band conversion.

Call us at 617-243-3724 to request an appointment.

Let us help you find your perfect doctor.

Call 866-NWH-DOCS or Request an Appointment

Newton-Wellesley Hospital

2014 Washington Street
Newton, MA 02462
Get Directions
617-243-6000

Stay Connected!

Contact Us

Quick Links

Doctors Medical Services Locations Patients & Visitors Billing Community Resources Careers About Us
Legal Statements | HIPAA Guidelines | Website Privacy | Website Disclaimer