Gastric Banding
Adjustable Gastric Banding is one of the few weight loss surgery offered to people with BMI of 40 or above, and even those people that have illnesses related to obesity. Adjustable Gastric Banding is a weight loss surgery that is restrictive type. In short, it involves of installing a silicone band on the stomach. The silicone band has an inner collar that is inflatable, and the band is placed at the upper part of the stomach to restrict your food intake. It then forms a tiny passage that slows down the emptying of food, and it also creates a smaller stomach pouch which will make you feel full longer. Over time, this silicone band can be loosened or tightened depending on the needs of your body. Gastric banding and Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding are other terms used for adjustable gastric banding. Lap-Band System and the Realize Band are the current brand names of gastric banding devices.
The Gastric Band Procedure
A small port is positioned in your abdominal wall, and the silicone is connected to it. By injecting the saline trough this port, the silicone band can be inflated and deflated to make adjustments. This process of injecting the saline is called “fill.” Surgeons usually make periodic adjustments that will be based on your food cravings, physical reactions to the surgery and to your weight loss.
Because the adjustable gastric banding is performed laparoscopically, surgeons create a small slit or incision instead of a single large incision that will scar. In order to perform this type of weight loss surgery, your surgeon will insert a viewing tube that has a small built-in camera or what they call a laparoscope and some other miniature instruments into these small incisions. There are just two types of brands of gastric bands that are available in the US, the Lap-Band System and the latest one is the Realize Band. Usually, the procedure for the gastric banding takes about 60 to 90 minutes. This can be through an outpatient basis but sometimes it requires hospital stay for a day.
How Many People Have Gotten Adjustable A Gastric Band?
There are more than half a million people that undergone adjustable gastric banding using the Lap-Band, and there are 100,000 that have undergone the procedure with the Realize Band, this is based on the manufacturer’s website.
Who Would Be A Candidate For A Gastric Band?
The sets of requirements for the adjustable gastric banding are the same as for other types of weight loss surgery, and these requirements are set by The National Institute of Health (or NIH). One such requirement, for example, is the BMI requirement…your BMI should be 40 or greater. This is comparable of just about 100 lbs overweight for men, and 80 lbs overweight for women. In order to measure the fatness of the body, BMI takes an account to the height and weight, and if the BMI for an adult is 30+, then they will be considered as obese. (An accurate measurement for this can be done using a BMI calculator.)
Candidates for the gastric banding using the Lap Band surgery are those people with body mass index of 30-40 and also those people that have related illness with obesity such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. The Realize Band is permitted for people with body mass index that ranges from 35 to 40 and at least one health condition related to obesity. Gastric banding is an alternative also for individuals that exposed to more risks with gastric bypass surgery if they have underlying health issues.
Pre-Surgery Considerations
No matter what type of surgical method you chose, the preparations for the surgery always starts with a commitment to change in diet as well as your lifestyle to improve your chance of success. Choosing weight loss surgery should not be thought of as a quick fix, and it is definitely not a decision to take lightly. Once you commit yourself to weight loss surgery with the consent of your family and your surgeon, preoperative assessments can begin, which will include:
- Setting up a meeting with a licensed dietician to discuss how your diet will change before and after the surgery.
- A broad psychological evaluation.
- Upper barium swallows or endoscopy exam to make that there are no tumors, ulcers, polyps or bacteria in the stomach.
- Extra pre-operative evaluations for your heart and lungs, if necessary.
It is very important to tell your surgeons about the drugs that you are currently taking or are planning to take through the process of recovery. Medications that interact with the recovery include minerals, vitamins and herbs.
You will need to make the following changes before the procedure:
- Refrain from smoking for about 1 month (30 days) before and after the surgery. Smoking may increase the risk of some complications, this includes blood clots that are potentially fatal.
- Do not consume any alcoholic beverages 48 hours before the surgery.
- Dropping for at least 5-10 percent of the excess body weight.
- Getting used to eating slowly, and chewing each piece of food 20 times before swallowing.
After The Surgery Is Complete
After the procedure is successfully done, you should get used in eating solid foods once more. The routine typically begins with a liquid diet for two weeks, two weeks for pureed foods and another two weeks for solids foods. This is to ease your stomach into things, which will reduce the risks of any complications.
Many people will tell you that you can still eat moderately normal portions of food, until your first ‘fill’. Many call this time ‘bandster hell’, because they think the surgery was unsuccessful since they’re still eating the same amount of food.
Your stomach must heal from the surgery before getting your first fill. For this reason, the adjustment will occur at about six weeks after the surgery. The band adjustment is conducted for four to six times for the first year of the surgery. This is done to ensure that the band installed in the stomach isn’t too loose or too tight to encourage the weight loss. This process is painless and can be done during regular scheduled visits with your surgeon.
As compared to other weight loss surgeries offered, the rate of weight loss you’ll experience with adjustable gastric banding is much more gradual. With adjustable gastric banding you expect to lose roughly 5 to 10 pounds each month, and within 2 years you are likely to lose about two-thirds of excess weight. After the weight loss surgery, you should be aware of what and when you eat. The entire process includes eating small portions because the new stomach or small pouch can only hold so much food. Sometimes patients who have undergone gastric banding may eat a lot, while other patients can’t anything at all. It is essential to listen to your gastric band, don’t just try to eat the same quantity each day.
It is very important to chew your food thoroughly and carefully, and stop eating whenever you feel full, otherwise you may end up feeling nauseous and vomit. Don’t drink and eat at the same time, this may boost the chance of distress and sickness. A good tip is to put your fork down between bites, this will slow down your food intake.
The experiences of patients eating right after the gastric banding surgery are likely to vary, because everyone is different. Some people report the difficulties of eating solid foods during morning while others do not. It is essential that put attention to how you feel every time you are eating various foods and at different times. For you to be able to tweak your diet and your eating habits, you should speak with your surgeon or dietician.
The Risks and Disadvantages with The Gastric Band
The risks and complications of gastric banding include infection, bleeding, or the stomach pouch can expand. The band may wear down inside your stomach, of it may deflate due to a leak in the band. Slippage of the band can take place with vomiting if behavioral changes are not made. Your stomach outlet may become blocked. The danger of death with gastric banding surgery is nearly 1 in 2,000, so the risk is quite low.
There are not many disadvantages when it comes to gastric banding, but the two most common ones are: numerous visits for band fills and adjustments, and the pouch may expand due to continually overeating.
Advantages of The Adjustable Gastric Band
When compared to other type of weight loss surgery, the adjustable gastric band has various advantages. It is less invasive, reversible and the band itself is adjustable. There is minimal operating time and you can have the procedure complete as an outpatient. The gastric band does not hinder the absorption of vitamins, and there is a reduced chance of dumping syndrome, which happens when the undigested stomach filling are dumped right into the small intestines rapidly. It is then marked by nausea and abdominal cramps. Gastric banding also improves the health issues that are related to obesity and excessive weight, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma, sleep apnea and type 2 diabetesall while promoting a steady and slow weight loss.
The Cost
The cost for adjustable gastric banding can range between $17,000 and $30,000. Sometimes, insurance providers pay 50% of the cost for the weight loss surgery. If you are considering a gastric band, you should consult your insurance provider in order to find out the requirements to be covered, as well as what will be covered and what won’t.
News About The Gastric Band
According to studies on weight loss surgery programs, losing about 20% – 50% of excess weight can help improve an individual’s obesity-related illness. The studies also show that if the patients is 80 lbs overweight, and has able to loss about 30 lbs, they can still attain the similar health benefits like those patients that lost about 80 pounds. Weight loss surgery like the adjustable gastric banding is a great help to fight obesity and some related-obesity issues. Gastric banding is a proven method to attaining your ideal weight, talk with your bariatric surgeon about if this procedure is right for you.
