In this procedure, surgeons tie a special type of ligament around the upper part of the stomach. This band creates an insulated pouch over the stomach.
When the stomach contracts, patients begin to feel full after eating small amounts of food. Patients do not feel like eating much when they have a gastric band, and this reduces the number of calories they eat.
The amount of hunger patients feel depends on how tight the belt is on their stomach. If the doctor leaves the gap under the pouch more open, the patient gets more food, and the bandage is adjustable. Doctors can adjust the opening repeatedly. They do this by injecting a sterile solution into the strip or extracting if they want to make the gap larger. To enable this, doctors leave an access point to the tape under the patient’s skin.
Usually, doctors leave the gap relatively wide at first. The patient visits the doctor regularly, and the doctor tightens the tape when he sees fit. This is often called “stuffing”.
A while ago, experts believed this procedure worked by restricting the passage of food through the gap. Thus, a restricted passage made the patient feel full quickly. New research challenges this notion, as they want to demonstrate that the food the patient ate passes through the gap quickly. This means that we cannot associate the slow passage of food through the gap with faster fullness when eating.
On the other hand, the other two pre-bariatric surgery options cause some degree of loss in nutrient absorption, while tape restriction does not cause such a thing. Since there is no tissue removed, the patient’s digestive system is working as efficiently as before. And digestion occurs completely before the operation after the gastric band operation. Let’s discuss the main advantages and disadvantages of this type of weight loss surgery.
Advantages
The stomach cannot hold as much food as before. Although the stomach remains intact and the size remains the same.
Patients lose about 40% to 50% of their excess weight after the procedure.
Gastric banding does not involve any incisions in the digestive system. The stomach is not cut in this operation at all. Also, there is no bypass in this process towards the small intestine.
This operation requires a very short hospital stay. Patients are able to leave the hospital in the first 24 hours.
This obesity treatment offers the greatest flexibility. Not only is it fully adjustable, but it is also completely reversible.
The adjustable gastric band has the lowest rate of early complications among these operations.
The patient does not have a high risk of developing any kind of malnutrition problems in this process.
Negatives
During the early stage after the operation, weight loss is a little slower compared to other operations. All other bariatric surgeries offer faster and faster weight loss.
When we compare it with other types of bariatric surgery, this type loses 50% of the patients’ excess weight.
This procedure involves inserting a foreign body into the body.
If the patient continues to overeat, this may extend strict postoperative care. Therefore, patients need to comply with the guidelines. Also, patients should make regular visits to their doctor for a check-up.
