In Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery, a hallow band made of special material is placed around the stomach near its upper end, creating a small pouch (about 7 ounces) with a narrow passage leading into the larger remainder of the stomach.
The band is attached by tubing to an access port placed under the abdominal wall where it is inflated with a saline solution with a hypodermic needle.
The band can be tightened or loosened by your physician to change the size of the passage by increasing or decreasing the amount of salt solution. This ability to adjust the passageway enables your physician to customize your weight loss while minimizing adverse side effects.
Advantages of Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery
- Least invasive Bariatric surgery
- No stomach stapling, cutting, or intestinal rerouting
- Procedure is reversible
- Adjustable treatment customized to patient
- Adjustable for nutrition needs of pregnancy
- Lowest operative complication rate
- Lower risk of gallstones
- Low malnutrition risk
- Minimal vitamin supplementation needed
- Operation usually takes less than an hour
- Overnight hospital stay usually
- Return to work in one week
Disadvantages of Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery
- Slower initial weight loss
- Band can loosen increasing pouch size
- Physician follow up is critical for optimal results
Risks & Complications
- Vomiting if patient eats too much or opening to lower stomach is too narrow
- Slippage or wearing away of band
- Breaks in tubing between band and access port causing leakage of saline requiring additional surgery
- Risk of slippage of band
- Risk of erosion of band
- Risk of scar tissue buildup around the band reducing the outlet size
- Rarely, the band can penetrate the stomach
- Infection
- Bleeding
Most patients do not have complications after Adjustable Gastric Banding surgery; however, complications can occur and depend on the patient’s health status.
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