Gastric Band Surgery
When you're considering bariatric surgery, one of the first steps is finding out more - more about the benefits and risks of the procedures. And remember: Only you and your bariatric surgeon can decide which procedure is right for you.
A restrictive surgical procedure, gastric banding is designed to restrict and reduce your food intake without interfering with your body's normal digestive process. During this procedure, your surgeon implants a medical device - a silicone band with an injection port. The silicone band is placed around the upper part of your stomach and molds the stomach into two connected chambers. The injection port is attached to your abdominal wall, underneath the skin. The port is connected to the band with soft, thin tubing. The port allows the band to be made tighter or looser. These adjustments help achieve the perfect amount of restriction you need to lose weight, but also ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs.
Adjustments are made by your surgeon using a needle to inject saline solution into your band through the port. Adding saline increases the amount of restriction provided by the band, helping you feel fuller sooner and with less food.
Adjustable gastric banding is performed laparoscopically. Adjustable gastric banding is safe and effective, with advantages that include:
- Proven success. Patients lose about 40 percent of their excess body weight withintwo years.
- Reversibility.Under the care of our exceptional medical staff surgeons, the surgery canbe reversed.
- Normaldigestion and absorption. The procedure does not affect how the bodydigests food and absorbs vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
- Lessimpact on the anatomy. Adjustable gastric banding does not require theopening or removal of any part of the stomach or intestines.
Life After Gastric Banding
Health Benefits
Studies found that gastric banding:
- Resolved type 2 diabetes in 47.8 percent of patients
- Resolved high blood pressure in 38.4% of patients
- Improved high cholesterol in 78.3% of patients
Quality of Life
One meta-analysis stated that for bariatric surgery patients who experienced significant weight loss:
- Overall quality of life improved greatly
- They experienced improved physical functioning and appearance
- They experienced improved social and economic opportunities
Recovery
Your NewStart team will advise you when to return to work and when you are able to resume normal activities.
Potential Concerns of Gastric Banding
Among the potential complications associated with adjustable gastric banding are puncturing the stomach or gastric perforation, which could require additional surgery; leakage or twisting of the access port; nausea and vomiting; slippage of the band; obstruction of the passage between the pouch and the stomach; enlargement of the pouch; and mechanical failure of the band implant.
Gastric banding can help you feel satisfied sooner and with less food, but it won’t eliminate the desire to eat. You will need to follow your specific diet and exercise guidelines provided by your surgeon to achieve success.
Gastric banding requires more intensive follow-up care than most other bariatric surgeries. This is mostly because the band is adjustable. Keep in mind that even after reaching and maintaining your success weight, you may still need to see your surgeon for further adjustments.