Laparoscopic gastric banding is a type of weight loss surgery performed to help people who are overweight lose weight. With this surgery, the doctor will place a band around the top part of the stomach. This band limits the amount of food that can be eaten by making you feel full, which results in smaller meals and weight loss. The band can be adjusted as time goes on and your body gets used to the smaller portions of food.
Qualifications for the Laparoscopic Gastric Banding
If you are considering having the laparoscopic banding performed, you will need to make sure that you qualify for the surgery and determine if you are a good candidate. Your body mass index must be 40 or greater. This means that you must be about 100 pounds or more overweight. Your doctor should be able to tell you if you are a good candidate for this type of surgery.
The Procedure
Before the surgery can be performed, you will need to complete nutritional counseling and a series of medical tests to determine if you are a good candidate for the surgery. If you are a good candidate, then your surgery will be scheduled and your doctor will give you a list of things that you can and cannot do before your surgery.
The surgery is performed under general anesthesia so you will not feel anything. Then, the surgeon will make small incisions in your abdomen. In one of these incisions a camera will be placed inside your abdomen to allow the surgeon to perform the surgery. The surgeon will then place a band, which is filled with saline solution, around the top part of your stomach. By placing the band around the top of the stomach, it makes a small pouch with a narrow opening that goes down into the lower part of your stomach allowing the food to be digested.
After the band has been placed, the doctor will clean the incisions and stitch them up. The average surgery time is between 30 minutes and 90 minutes. You will probably need to spend one night in the hospital and then will be released to begin your recovery at home.
Once you are at home, you will need to learn how to eat healthy and small meals. You will not be able to go back to the way you ate before the surgery. You may also find that certain foods cause too much excess gas, which can be very painful after having the procedure done. Your doctor will provide you with a list of foods that can cause problems and avoid you to stay away from these foods.
Risks
There are potential risks associated with this procedure. These risks may include injury to the stomach or intestines, scarring, gastritis, heartburn or ulcers. Vomiting may also occur if you eat more than your stomach will hold. This may take some getting used to, but you will soon be able to tell how much food your stomach can hold.
If you are overweight, talk to your doctor to determine if this procedure is right for you.
