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Gastric Banding
| The Laparoscopic Gastric Banding |
is a procedure where a band is placed around the upper part of the stomach creating a small stomach pouch restricting the amount of food that a person can take eat. The rest of the stomach remains below the band and food will pass through the outlet slower than in normal digestion, making the patient feel fuller longer. One of the major advantages is that the diameter of the band is adjustable. The inner surface of the band can be inflated with saline solution or deflated to modify the size of the opening. The band is connected by tubing to a reservoir, which is placed well under the skin during surgery. After the operation, the surgeon can control the amount of saline in the band by entering the reservoir with a fine needle through the skin.
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No part of the stomach is stapled or removed. The intestines are not rerouted, the small intestine can absorb nutrients from food, and waste can be eliminated in the normal manner.The Band is implanted using laparoscopic surgery through several small incisions. The Band is intended to be a long-term implant. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that the Band will need to be replaced, except in the event of a complication . Because gastric banding surgery does not permanently alter stomach and intestinal anatomy, the Band can be removed if necessary. Reversal surgery is simple and weight gain is usually observed in people who have their band removed. When the Band is implanted, it molds the stomach into two connected chambers: a small upper stomach and the lower stomach. The place where the band is wrapped around the stomach creates a junction between the stomach chambers. This junction is called a stoma. The amount of restriction (tightness) at the stoma is controlled by using the Injection Port to increase or decrease the amount of saline in the band. The ability to change the restriction is why the Band is called an adjustable gastric band. The Band limits the amount of food you can eat at one time. The new upper stomach can only hold about 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of food. For this reason, you will feel full sooner than usual. The lower stomach does not need to fill for you to feel full. The stoma created by the band also slows the flow of food from the small upper stomach to the lower stomach. When the stoma is made smaller (restriction is increased), you can eat less food during a single meal and food will empty more slowly to the lower stomach. This means you will feel full sooner and stay full longer with the Band and will have better control of your appetite. Although the Band can help you feel full faster and stay full longer, it will not eliminate the emotional desire to eat. If you try to eat more than 4 ounces at a meal, you may feel uncomfortable and may regurgitate. This reaction is common, but is due to inappropriate eating behaviors. You quickly will learn how to eat to avoid discomfort and regurgitation. As you eat less food, your body will stop storing excess calories and it will begin to use its fat energy stores. The goal is to lose a healthy 1 to 2 pounds a week.
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| Improvements in Obesity-Related Conditions |
Scientific literature supports that weight loss in obese patients with type 2 diabetes aids in the control of the disease. In the clinical study, patients who had diabetes and an elevated level of a form of hemoglobin (HbA1c) in their blood prior to surgery had their level of this form of hemoglobin drop below 7 percent after losing weight with the Band. Clinical study patients who had diabetes and a normal hemoglobin (HbA1c) level in their blood prior to surgery maintained values below 7 percent after surgery. The American Diabetes Association® (ADA) considers diabetes to be under control when this particular form of hemoglobin is 7 percent or less. The clinical study patients experienced a 22 percent increase (10mg/dl) in good cholesterol (HDL) 36 months after surgery. They also experienced a decrease in bad cholesterol (LDL), total cholesterol, and triglycerides. At the three-year follow-up visit, these improvements were statistically significant.
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| Improvement in Quality of Life |
Patients in the U.S. clinical study reported improvements in various aspects of their quality of life. To evaluate these improvements, patients completed a written evaluation that measured various aspects of their mental and physical health.
• Patients reported a significant improvement in their vitality, mental health, and social functioning three years after surgery.
• Patients reported a significant improvement in the physical aspects of their quality of life three years after surgery. This included improvement in general health, reduction in bodily pain, and increased ability to complete daily and work activities. |
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