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Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding
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This is a purely restrictive bariatric procedure.
An adjustable silicone band is placed around the upper stomach and sutured in place, creating a small upper pouch of stomach that will hold just 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of food. A balloon on the inside of the band sits against the stomach wall. This balloon is connected through tubing to a 'port'. The port is implanted under the skin and secured to the abdominal wall muscle.
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This port can be accessed through the skin with a special needle. Injecting fluid into the port allows the surgeon to inflate the balloon, causing the band to tighten up around the stomach, slowing down the passage of food through the band. The procedure is 'adjustable' because the band can be tightened or loosened by adjusting the amount of fluid filling the port.
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Gastric banding works well in motivated patients who are able to comply with dietary plans and a regimen of regular exercise.
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Your eating habits will affect results obtained with the band. This procedure works well for 'big meal' or 'volume' eaters: people who consume extra large portions of food for each meal but do not snack or 'graze' on junk food throughout the day.
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Gastric banding does not work as well on 'sweet eaters': people who consume a lot of high-calorie, energy dense foods like ice cream, soda, candy, sweets, chocolate, etc which slip easily through the band.
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In our experience, patients who snack and graze all day by eating small handfuls of nuts, chips and other junk foods also do not do well with gastric banding. These patients never overeat, never feel full, so they get no benefit from the band; instead, they consume a steady stream of calories through the day.
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- It is a reversible procedure
- Although it is reversible, the band is meant to be implanted permanently. Most patients who have the band removed find that they regain their weight
- It is an adjustable procedure in that the tightness of the band and the degree of food restriction may be 'adjusted' by either filling or emptying the port
- It does not involve any cutting, stapling, removal or rerouting of any part of the stomach or intestines. There is therefore little risk of nutritional deficiencies after this procedure.
- It is associated with a lower surgical risk compared to other procedures
- It can be performed as a day surgery procedure and you may go home on the same day after surgery. Some patients choose an overnight stay before going home the day after surgery
- On average, patients lose 40 – 50% of their excess weight.
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