Laparoscopic weight loss surgery is a type of surgery that is performed in order help an obese person lose weight. It works by fitting a small device called a gastric band around the top portion of the stomach, forming a small pouch at the tip of the stomach where food is stored for a short period of time. Laparoscopic weight loss surgery is a type of advanced surgery designed to be a more effective and alternative procedure to having a stomach stapled or part of a stomach removed. It is also the least invasive surgery designed to help a person lose weight, allowing for a quick recovery time.

The pouch that is created after laparoscopi weight loss surgery is called the stoma, holding about a half a cup of food and gets filled with food quickly. The gastric banding device is designed so that the food is released from the stoma at a slow rate and into the stomach for digestion. The stomach will send a signal to the brain telling the brain that it is full, and as a result, a person will eat less because they are no longer hungry. Over time, the obese person will begin to lose weight because they are consuming a smaller amount of food thanks to the gastric banding device. As the person loses weight, the gastric banding device will need adjusting, however, though this is a simple procedure.