Gastric Band Surgery

This type of surgery is indicated only if you are considered morbidly obese. Morbidly obese refers to the fact that the patient weighs 20% or more than his or her ideal body weight, or 100 pounds over that set ideal body weight.

The term morbid basically means that the obesity extensively increases the hazard of obesity associated diseases or conditions in the future. Another assessing tool that defines whether the patient is morbidly obese is if the patient has a Body Mass Index, referred to as BMI, of 40 or higher.

Gastric Band surgery is a type of bariatric surgery. Bariatric refers to the fact that it is for the obese and for the treatment of obesity. You should be aware that gastric band surgery is but one type of surgery offered for weight loss. Regardless of which method you use, there will be a certain amount of tests and procedures associated with it.

For example you will need to attend seminars concerning bariatric surgery, and you’ll have to schedule a consultation with the surgeon. You will have to go through a psychological evaluation in order to prepare you for the next step in your life, specifically the great weight loss you are hoping to receive.

Your next consultation is with a nutritionist to outline for you what you will have to eat, and more importantly will not eat, so that the gastric band surgery can work its best for you. You will also need to have an abdominal ultrasound to be sure that you do not harbor gallstones. If gallstones are found, you will need to take care of those prior to the surgery.

Gastric band surgery refers to the fact that an actual band of medical material will be placed around the upper section of the stomach. This will then create a tiny pouch for the food that you eat, and that food will then pass through a narrow passage into the rest of your stomach. This in turn creates a situation wherein you are restricted as to the amount of food you can eat, thus resulting in weight loss.

There are also differences in the gastric band surgeries including the newest that is referred to as the lap-band procedure wherein the band itself is now adjustable without opening up the incisions previously made. The adjustment is totally painless and is performed in the radiology department as per your Dr.’s direction using saline injected into a small port available outside your body.

The operation itself is not an especially risky one, though there are of course risks in any kind of surgery. You will be receiving anesthesiology so that there is no pain factor during surgery. There is a small risk of problems associated with anesthesiology.

Advantages of banding are: no cutting of stomach, nor any stapling of same. Also, it’s important to realize that the entire procedure can be laparoscopically removed and it’s possible therefore to attain 100% reversal. This type of surgery will also not require an especially long hospital stay. Most patients leave the hospital after 48 hours.

Please also check out my other guide on stomach surgery and gastric sleeve

Gastric Band

gastric banding

Gastric Band Surgery

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