Treatments
Gastric Banding

The gastric band is a type of weight loss surgery (bariatric operation) for people who are morbidly obese. Band operation involves putting a silicone, adjustable ring around the stomach, just below the esophagogastric junction. This band restricts the food passage and your stomach will hold less food. This means, you feel full with less food and quickly. Because of the reduced calorie intake, you’ll start losing weight.

Like other bariatric operations, gastric band may be suitable if you are struggling with obesity more than 2 years and you haven’t been able to lose weight just by diet, changing lifestyle and even weight loss medicines. Current studies show that patients usually lose around 50 % of their excess weight in the first two to three years after gastric band surgery. But it’s just an adjunct method, you also need to follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly after the operation.

If your GP thinks weight loss surgery would help you, you may be eligible for gastric band operation.

You can check the eligibility criteria for weight loss surgery below:

Having a BMI more than 40, or having a BMI over 35 and a serious health condition developing by obesity, such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, blood lipid abnormalities.

Being fit for general anaesthesia and laparoscopic surgery.

Being enthusiastic and determined for making changes in diet and lifestyle.

Being coherent to regular post-operative follow-up appointments.
 

Pros and Cons of Gastric Band Surgery

Even it could be performed by keyhole surgery, gastric band surgery has some risks besides the benefits like every major operation.

Pros

Losing weight with the gastric band will improve your overall health condition

Unlike the other options, this can be reversed totally, because any part of the stomach will be removed or cut with staplers

Patients don’t encounter vitamin and mineral deficiencies and after the first year following surgery usually doesn’t need to take supplements.
 

Cons

The amount of weight loss may be different and depend on the patient's consistency to dietary rules.

Until finding the optimum restriction, you may need some adjustments. But don’t afraid, it’s basically only a puncture and can be done easily at the office and doesn’t need anaesthesia.

There are some complication and risk arisen from the band as a foreign material. These are slippage, leakage from the tube, port infection and more seriously, gastric wall erosion and migration.