Lap Band LA: Procedures, Costs and How It Works

What is Lap Band LA?

Lap Band LA is the name the website uses for Davtyan Medical Weight Loss & Wellness, a private surgical practice in Southern California led by Dr. David G. Davtyan. The domain, lapbandla.com, reflects where the practice started: the Lap-Band adjustable gastric band. Today the site covers a much wider range of weight loss treatment, from swallowable balloons that need no surgery to gastric bypass and revision operations for people who had weight loss surgery before.

The site is large. It has procedure pages for each treatment, a Spanish-language section (Cirugía para bajar de peso en español), a patient reviews page, a before-and-after gallery, city pages across Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire, and a set of plain-language guides for Lap-Band patients in Rancho Cucamonga. Many medical pages now carry a "Medically reviewed by Dr. David G. Davtyan" line with a date.

You may also see the name The Weight Loss Surgery Center of Los Angeles. The practice's reviews page lists that name as a separate set of Google Business listings and keeps its reviews apart from the Davtyan Medical totals.

The practice's own short description is "Excellence. Compassion. Expertise." In practical terms, it is a surgeon-led clinic where the first step for any treatment is a free consultation with Dr. Davtyan, followed by an insurance check or a self-pay quote.

Who runs the practice?

The practice is built around one surgeon, Dr. David G. Davtyan, MD. The site names no other surgeons. On many pages his name is followed by the letters FACS, FICS and FASMBS, which stand for fellowships of the American College of Surgeons, the International College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. We did not find a public registry for those fellowships, so treat them as the practice's own statement.

According to the site, Dr. Davtyan received his medical education at the UCLA School of Medicine and trained further at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and the John Wayne Cancer Institute, with a background in surgical oncology (cancer surgery) before he concentrated on bariatric surgery. The Medical Board of California record confirms the medical school (University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, graduation year 1989) and, in the doctor's self-reported survey, lists General Surgery as his primary area of practice and Surgical Oncology as his secondary area.

The detail the practice puts first is personal. The home page says Dr. Davtyan "is a LapBand® patient himself," and the contact page quotes him: "Having been a bariatric patient myself, I have an intimate understanding of the emotional and physical challenges of the journey." The site says this shapes how the team works with patients.

The site also has a Certifications & Achievements page and a Qualifications page that show certificates from training courses, symposiums and professional societies, including programs at the University of Cincinnati, ASMBS meetings and device training for gastric bands and balloons. Staff are not listed by name on the site, though patient reviews quoted on the reviews page mention team members.

Is Lap Band LA legit? What we could check

Here is what can be checked in public records.

• Medical license: confirmed. The Medical Board of California lists DAVTYAN, DAVID GRIGOR, Physician and Surgeon license G 70030, status "License Renewed & Current," issued 15 October 1990 and expiring 30 September 2028. Its public record sections (administrative disciplinary actions, court orders, convictions, probation, malpractice judgments, hospital disciplinary actions, settlements and arbitration awards) all showed "No Records" when we checked on 19 October 2026.
• American Board of Surgery: confirmed. The ABS public certification lookup lists David Grigor Davtyan (NPI 1184647729) as certified in General Surgery, status "Certified," "Meeting CC Requirements," initial certification 11 February 1997, expiration 31 December 2027.
• Federal provider record. The CMS NPI Registry lists David Grigor Davtyan, MD, NPI 1184647729, an individual provider with the taxonomy "Surgery," active, with practice addresses in Glendale and Beverly Hills and the same Glendale (818-546-1500) and Beverly Hills (310-652-1777) phone numbers the site uses.
• Published addresses and phone lines. Every page lists street addresses and direct numbers for each office, plus the toll-free line 877-9-BE-SLIM.
• Linked third-party reviews. The reviews page shows ratings from RealSelf, Healthgrades, Google and Yelp, each with a link to the source so you can check the live figure (see below).

If details such as experience, procedure volumes or hospital accreditation matter to your decision, ask the practice for the specifics, for example which hospital you would have surgery in and whether that hospital holds bariatric accreditation.

What the practice offers

The contact form asks you to choose one of five interests: Lap-Band (gastric band), gastric sleeve (sleeve gastrectomy), Orbera balloon, Allurion balloon (swallowable gastric balloon) or "Other." The wider site covers these treatments:

Which of these suits a given person is a medical decision made at the consultation. The sections below describe what the site says about each one.

Lap-Band surgery and band care

The Lap-Band is the practice's original focus. The site describes it as a laparoscopic operation that places an inflatable silicone band around the top of the stomach to create a small pouch, so a person feels full sooner on smaller meals. The band connects by tubing to an access port under the skin of the abdomen. Saline added through the port tightens the band; saline removed loosens it. No part of the stomach is removed, and the site notes the band can be taken out if needed.

Adjustments ("fills"). The site explains that a fill takes a few minutes in the office: the port is located, a fine needle goes through the skin into the port, and saline is added or removed. Patients may then drink water to check that liquids pass comfortably. According to the adjustments page, the first fill usually comes 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, and many patients need three to five adjustments in the first year. It lists signs a band may be too tight (trouble swallowing, frequent vomiting, reflux, chest discomfort, difficulty drinking fluids) and says patients with those symptoms should contact their doctor promptly.

Who it is for. The site's Lap-Band page says the band may be recommended for people with a BMI of 35 or higher, obesity-related health conditions or long-term difficulty managing weight, after an evaluation of their health history.

Recovery and aftercare. The main Lap-Band page says most patients go home the same day or after one night and resume light activities within a few days. The after-care page sets out a staged diet (liquids in weeks 1 to 2, pureed foods in weeks 3 to 4, soft foods from week 5) and "10 Steps to Success," such as eating slowly, stopping when full and not drinking during meals. It adds that Dr. Davtyan may give different instructions.

People who already have a band. The Lap-Band in Rancho Cucamonga page says the Rancho Cucamonga office sees people considering a band and people who already have one and need adjustments, a yearly check, or advice on a problem. It links a guide of plain-language pages on slippage, erosion, port problems, reflux, warning signs, removal and conversion to a sleeve or bypass, including a page for people whose band was placed elsewhere. Each guide page lists its medical sources.

Gastric sleeve and gastric bypass

Gastric sleeve. The site describes the sleeve as a minimally invasive operation that removes about 75 to 80% of the stomach. It explains that the smaller stomach limits portions and that the operation also reduces ghrelin, a hunger hormone, without rerouting the intestines. It lists candidates as people with a BMI of 35 or higher, or 30 to 34.9 with a metabolic disease such as type 2 diabetes, who are committed to long-term lifestyle changes. It names infection, bleeding, digestive changes and nutritional deficiencies among the possible complications, and says most patients go home within 1 to 2 days. The sleeve is permanent.

Gastric bypass. The bypass page is one of the most detailed on the site. It explains Roux-en-Y anatomy, sets out the 2022 ASMBS/IFSO candidacy guidance (surgery recommended above BMI 35, considered at 30 to 34.9 with metabolic disease, lower thresholds for patients of Asian ancestry), and names the serious complications specific to bypass: pulmonary embolism, staple-line leak and small bowel obstruction. It also covers dumping syndrome and the need for lifelong vitamin and mineral supplements. It describes the bypass as intended to be permanent and says Dr. Davtyan performs it laparoscopically wherever anatomy allows. The page ends with a plain statement that it is general information, "not medical advice for your situation, and no outcome is guaranteed."

The site does not name the hospital or surgical facility where operations take place. Ask about that at your consultation.

Gastric balloons: Orbera and Allurion

Balloons are the practice's non-surgical options. The site describes a gastric balloon as a temporary device that takes up space in the stomach, needs no incisions, and is removed or passes after several months. The general balloon page lists a BMI between 30 and 40 as the usual range.

Orbera is placed and removed by endoscopy. The site says the Orbera balloon stays in for about six months.

Allurion (previously called Elipse) is swallowed. The practice's Allurion page describes the steps: a free consultation; swallowing a capsule with water; an X-ray to confirm it is in the stomach; filling the balloon with about 550 mL of fluid through a thin catheter; a second X-ray and removal of the catheter. The site says placement takes about 15 minutes and the balloon stays for about 16 weeks before a valve opens and it passes naturally, with no removal procedure. The page says the device received FDA premarket approval on 20 February 2026 and is indicated for adults aged 22 to 65 with a BMI of 30 to 40 who have tried diet and exercise at least once without success. It lists the conditions that may rule someone out, such as prior stomach surgery, pregnancy or a large hiatal hernia, and side effects including nausea, cramping, bloating and reflux in the first days, plus rarer risks such as early deflation or bowel obstruction. Allurion has its own phone line on the site: 844-41-BALLOON.

The site notes that balloons are often treated by insurers as elective and may not be covered.

Weight loss medication

The Weight Loss Medications page explains how GLP-1 medications work and names the brands: semaglutide as Ozempic (diabetes) and Wegovy (weight management); tirzepatide as Mounjaro (diabetes) and Zepbound (weight management). It notes that insurers treat the diabetes and weight-management labels as different products when checking coverage.

The practice's position, in its own words, is that medication "is a reasonable first move for a great many people, and this practice says so plainly even though it performs surgery," and that "medication and surgery are not opponents." The page discusses what happens when people stop these drugs, what to do if you take a GLP-1 and have a procedure booked (tell your surgeon and anesthesiologist), and the FDA's published concerns about compounded versions. If you want a prescription, ask at the consultation whether the practice prescribes and manages the medication itself, and how follow-up works.

Revision, second opinions and body contouring

Revision. The site has pages for people who had weight loss surgery before and now have a complication or weight regain. Its revision cost page separates two situations that insurers treat differently: a revision to fix a problem (a slipped or eroded band, a port complication, a stricture, severe reflux, an obstruction) and a revision sought because weight came back after an intact operation. It lists what tends to be needed for authorization: the operative report from the original procedure, a weight history, imaging or endoscopy findings, and a record of what has been tried since. Ask which revision operations Dr. Davtyan performs himself.

Second opinions. A dedicated page says a second opinion "is ordinary medicine," lists good reasons to seek one (being offered only one option, unexplained weight regain, symptoms such as reflux or vomiting, a surgeon who has retired), and says what to bring, starting with the operative report. It also says plainly that a second opinion may conclude that no further procedure is needed.

Body contouring. The body contouring page covers procedures to remove loose skin after major weight loss: arm lift (brachioplasty), tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), thigh lift, breast lift procedures and lower body lift. It says patients are generally encouraged to reach a stable weight first, which for sleeve patients often means 12 to 18 months after surgery, and that people who lost weight without surgery may also be candidates.

Where are the offices, and what are the hours?

The site lists these locations and numbers:

Suite numbers for the Glendale and Beverly Hills offices differ between the website and public records, so confirm the exact suite when you book. The contact form offers Glendale, Rancho Cucamonga and Beverly Hills as the choice of location, and the Locations page says you are not tied to the office nearest your home and can book follow-up visits at a different office from your consultation.

Areas served. The Locations page lists Alhambra, Arcadia, Artesia, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Glendale, Inglewood, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Marina del Rey, Pasadena, Rancho Cucamonga, Santa Monica, South Coast and West Hollywood. The Rancho Cucamonga pages add Ontario, Fontana, Upland, Claremont, Riverside, Corona, San Bernardino and Redlands across the Inland Empire.

Hours. The contact page says "Mon–Fri · Hablamos Español." The site does not publish opening times for each office or an after-hours line, so ask when you call.

Spanish. The site says care is available in Spanish from the first call through follow-up, and it has a full Spanish section with its own contact page.

How much does Lap Band LA cost?

The practice does not publish a single, consistent price list. Its procedure cost pages quote general U.S. price ranges, and those ranges differ from page to page. Its bariatric revision page says directly: "This practice does not publish package prices." The insurance page says the practice "quotes self-pay pricing directly." So the honest answer is: ask for a written quote after your consultation.

What the site says affects the total:

• The procedure. A balloon, a band, a sleeve, a bypass and a revision are different operations with different costs.
• Facility and anesthesia. The revision page notes these are often billed separately from the surgeon.
• Pre-operative work-up. Lab tests, medical evaluations, nutritional and psychological assessments, imaging or endoscopy.
• Follow-up. Post-operative visits and, for the Lap-Band, band adjustments.
• For revisions, one-stage versus two-stage surgery, surgical versus endoscopic approach, and scar tissue from earlier operations.

Financing. Several pages mention financing or payment plans, but the site does not name a financing company or publish terms in one consistent place. Ask what is available now.

Consultation. The first consultation is free and carries no obligation, according to the site.

When you ask for a quote, ask what is included (surgeon, facility, anesthesia, pre-op tests, follow-up visits, fills) and what is billed separately.

Does Lap Band LA take insurance?

The site says insurance is checked case by case. Its insurance page explains that "the plan is the unit of coverage, not the insurer": two people with cards from the same insurer can get different answers. For that reason, the practice says, it does not publish a list of criteria. It offers to verify your benefits against your own plan, and its FAQ says many patients qualify for coverage through PPO or HMO plans.

Points from the site worth knowing:

• Coverage is decided per procedure. Sleeve, band, bypass, revision and balloon procedures are judged separately, and the non-surgical options are the ones most often excluded.
• Bring your card. The practice suggests bringing your insurance card and, if you have it, your plan's summary of benefits to the consultation.
• Medicare and Medi-Cal. The insurance page explains Medicare's national coverage rule for bariatric surgery in general terms, but the site does not state whether the practice accepts Medicare, Medi-Cal or specific Medi-Cal plans. Ask the office directly.
• Self-pay is possible. The Spanish section says you do not need insurance for the consultation or for surgery, and that the practice sees patients who pay privately.

What happens, step by step

1. Get in touch. Fill in the contact form (name, email, phone, preferred contact method, the treatment you're interested in and your preferred office) or call 877-9-BE-SLIM. The contact page says the team then reaches you the way you chose: call, text or email.
2. Free consultation. According to the contact page, you meet Dr. Davtyan, review your history and see which options (Lap-Band, gastric sleeve or a gastric balloon) "actually fit you." The Spanish FAQ adds that you should leave knowing whether you are a candidate, what your options are and what each would cost.
3. Insurance check or quote. "We check your insurance and lay out the costs and next steps. You decide if and when to go ahead," the contact page says.
4. Preparation. Depending on the treatment and your plan, this can include lab work, medical, nutritional and psychological evaluations and, for surgery, a pre-operative diet. Insurers may ask for documentation before approval.
5. The procedure. An Allurion balloon is placed in the office; an Orbera balloon needs endoscopy; band, sleeve and bypass are surgical operations.
6. Follow-up. The site stresses long-term follow-up: band fills, staged diets, supplements after sleeve or bypass, and regular visits. The after-care page describes weekly follow-ups for the first six weeks after a Lap-Band, then monthly visits, while noting schedules vary.

What the site says about risks

Every treatment the practice offers carries risk, and the site lists them on its procedure pages. Examples, as the site states them:

• Lap-Band: band slippage, erosion, deflation, reflux, obstruction of the stomach, dilation of the esophagus, infection, nausea and vomiting; reoperation may be required.
• Gastric sleeve: infection, bleeding, digestive changes and nutritional deficiencies; the operation is permanent.
• Gastric bypass: pulmonary embolism, staple-line leak, small bowel obstruction, dumping syndrome and a need for lifelong supplements.
• Allurion balloon: nausea, cramping, bloating and reflux early on; rarely early deflation, bowel obstruction, ulceration or perforation.

The site adds that results vary from person to person and depend on diet, activity and follow-up. Read the risk sections for the procedure you're considering and ask Dr. Davtyan how they apply to you. This guide is not medical advice.

What patients say: the site's own figures

The practice publishes a reviews page that collects ratings from outside platforms, each linked to the source. It says the figures were verified on 23 July 2026. As shown there:

• Dr. Davtyan: RealSelf 5.0 from 19 reviews; Healthgrades 4.6 from 41 ratings.
• Glendale office: Google 4.6 from 9 reviews; Yelp 4.3 from 26 reviews.
• Beverly Hills office: Google 4.5 from 8 reviews; Yelp 5.0 from 8 reviews.
• Rancho Cucamonga office: Google 5.0 from 3 reviews; Yelp 5.0 from 7 reviews.
• Fountain Valley: no Google reviews yet.

The page also quotes several Google reviews in full. These are the practice's own selection and its own snapshot. Ratings change, so follow the links to see the current figures, and read lower-rated reviews too.

How it compares with other options

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

Questions to ask before you book

1. Which office will I be seen at, what is the exact suite, and is parking available?
2. Do you take my plan (including Medi-Cal, Medicare or an HMO), and will you check my benefits before I commit?
3. If I pay myself, what is the written price, and what does it include (surgeon, facility, anesthesia, pre-op tests, follow-up, fills)?
4. Where would my surgery take place, and is that facility accredited for bariatric surgery?
5. Which board certifications does Dr. Davtyan hold today?
6. Is there an after-hours number if I have a problem after my procedure?
7. For a band placed elsewhere: will you take over my care, and what records do you need?
8. Is financing available now, and through which company?

How to get started

1. Read the page for the treatment you're considering, for example Lap-Band surgery, gastric sleeve, gastric bypass or gastric balloon.
2. Check your BMI with the calculator on the site and gather your insurance card and summary of benefits.
3. If you had surgery before, request your operative report from the original surgeon.
4. Book the free consultation through the contact page or call 877-9-BE-SLIM (877-923-7546). For Spanish, use the Spanish section.

Visit Lap Band LA

Terms you'll see on the site

• Bariatric surgery: surgery on the stomach or intestines to treat obesity.
• BMI: body mass index, weight relative to height; used in candidacy and insurance rules.
• Lap-Band / LAGB: laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, a silicone band around the upper stomach.
• Fill or adjustment: adding or removing saline through the band's port to tighten or loosen it.
• Access port: the small device under the skin that connects by tubing to the band.
• Sleeve gastrectomy: surgery that removes most of the stomach, leaving a narrow tube.
• Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB): surgery that creates a small pouch and reroutes the small intestine.
• Intragastric balloon: a temporary balloon in the stomach, placed by endoscopy (Orbera) or swallowed (Allurion).
• GLP-1 medication: drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide that act on gut hormone receptors.
• Revision: a second operation to correct or convert an earlier weight loss procedure.
• ASMBS / IFSO: the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders, which issued the 2022 candidacy guidance the site cites.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

All pages checked on 19 October 2026.

1. Lap Band LA home page
2. Contact Us
3. Location
4. Dr. Davtyan's Certifications & Achievements
5. Qualifications
6. Lap-Band Surgery
7. Lap-Band Adjustments
8. Lap-Band Surgery Cost
9. Lap-Band Surgery in Rancho Cucamonga
10. Lap-Band after-care
11. Gastric Sleeve Surgery
12. Gastric Sleeve Cost
13. Gastric Bypass Surgery in Los Angeles
14. Gastric Balloon
15. Gastric Balloon Cost
16. Allurion Balloon in Los Angeles
17. Weight Loss Medications
18. Insurance, coverage and paying for surgery
19. Bariatric Revision: Cost and Insurance
20. Getting a Second Opinion on Bariatric Surgery
21. Body Contouring After Weight Loss
22. Medical Weight Loss Surgery in Rancho Cucamonga
23. Frequently Asked Questions
24. Patient Reviews & Ratings
25. Cirugía para bajar de peso en español
26. Medical Board of California license lookup, G 70030
27. American Board of Surgery certification lookup
28. CMS NPI Registry, NPI 1184647729