Laparoscopic gastric banding, also known and lap band surgery, is a procedure formulated to help people lose weight by making the stomach smaller. The surgery limits the amount of food the stomach can hold helping you eat less and feel full sooner.
Gastric banding is not a suitable procedure for everyone because if you have a particular medical condition related to your heart or lungs, your GP and surgeon may feel that your overall health could be at risk. You also need to have a BMI of over 30.
Who is a candidate for gastric banding?
Laparoscopic gastric banding surgery began in Australia in 1994. Since then, it has become one of the most popular weight loss surgeries worldwide.
It only takes 60 to 90 minutes to complete the procedure. Surgeons administer general anesthesia during the operation meaning you will be asleep and will not experience any pain. The gastric banding surgery generally performed through small incisions in the tummy using a camera.
The surgeon places an adjustable silicone band around the upper part of the stomach.
Squeezed by the silicone band, the stomach becomes a pouch with about an inch-wide outlet. After banding, the stomach can only hold about an ounce of food.
A plastic tube runs from the silicone band to a device just under the skin. Saline can be injected or removed through the skin, flowing into or out of the silicone band. Injecting saline fills the band and makes it tighter.
The band can be tightened or loosened as needed. This can reduce side effects and improve weight loss. Once the procedure is complete the small incisions are closed with sutures.
What are the benefits of gastric banding compared to other bariatric surgeries?
Once the surgery is scheduled, your surgeon will go over everything step by step. If you are, a smoker your doctor will probably asked you to stop, as smoking increases your risk of getting a wound infection and slows down your recovery.
The operation usually requires an overnight stay in hospital. The surgeon will give you fasting instructions to follow. Usually you must not eat or drink for about six hours before having a general. However, some anesthetists allow you to have a little water until two hours before the operation.
At the hospital, your nurse will probably test your heart rate blood pressure, and urine.
The surgeon may ask you to wear compression stockings to help prevent blood clots forming in the veins in your legs. You may need to have an injection of an anti-clotting medicine called heparin as well as, or instead of, stockings.
Your doctor will give you specific instructions about what to eat after the surgery. For the first 2 weeks, you will need to follow a liquid or soft diet. At first, you may feel full after just a few sips of water or other liquid. It is important to try to sip water throughout the day to avoid becoming dehydrated. You may notice that your bowel movements are not regular right after your surgery. This is quite a common side effect.
Over time you will be able to add solid foods back into your diet. You must be careful to chew food well and to stop eating when you feel full. This can take some getting used to, because you will feel full after eating much less food than you are normally used to eating. If you do not chew your food well or do not stop eating soon enough, you may feel discomfort or nausea and may sometimes vomit.
Your doctor may recommend that you work with a dietitian to plan healthy meals that give you enough protein, vitamins, and minerals while you are losing weight. Even with a healthy diet, you probably will need to take vitamin and mineral supplements for the rest of your life.
Your surgeon adjusts the band a few weeks after the operation, leaving time for the swelling caused by the surgery to go down. You will probably have your band adjusted two or three times in the first few months after your operation is completed.
What facts should you consider about gastric banding if you are considering becoming pregnant?
If considering pregnancy, you should make sure that your health is in tiptop condition. You may have to schedule an appointment so the band in your stomach can become deflated before conception. This is something you should discuss with your doctor that performed the surgery. Deflation may be necessary if you are experiencing morning sickness. The band may stay deflated during pregnancy and once breast-feeding is finished, or if bottle feeding, the band can be gradually re-inflated to minister to weight loss after pregnancy if it is necessary.
Problems can occur during or after the operation just like any operation, there is always a risk. Most patients do not experience any complications. Some complications that could occur are the following:
One out of 10 people with a gastric band may need another gastric band operation in the future. You may not lose a lot of weight or you could return to weight you have lost. If this situation happens to you, your surgeon may recommend you have gastric bypass surgery.
Gastric banding leads to loss of about 40% of excess weight, on average. Someone people who are 200 pounds heavy could expect to lose an average of 80 pounds after gastric banding. However, these results vary depending on the person, health habits and their body. The Marjory of the patients have also reported that they noticed an improvement in their overall health and they have experienced improvements in their sleep habits.
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