Gastric Band
The Gastric Band involves an inflatable band that is placed around the upper portion of the stomach, creating a small stomach pouch above the band, and the rest of the stomach below the band.
How Does it Work?
Due to the smaller stomach pouch, eating just a small amount of food will satisfy hunger and promote a feeling of fullness. The size of the opening between the pouch and the remainder of the stomach will determine how full you feel. The size of the opening can be adjusted by filling the band with sterile saline, which is injected through a port placed under the skin.
Reducing the size of the opening is done gradually over time with repeated adjustments or “fills.” The band works through the method of restriction. It restricts how much food can be eaten per meal and by restricting the emptying of the food through the band. Food is digested and absorbed as it would be normally.
Pros
- Reduces the amount of food the stomach can hold
- Less invasive than the Gastric Bypass or Sleeve Gastrectomy
- Requires a shorter hospital stay, usually less than 24 hours
- Has the lowest rate of early postoperative complications
- Has the lowest risk for vitamin/mineral deficiencies
Cons
- Slower weight loss than the other procedures
- Greater percentage of patients failing to lose at least 50 percent of excess body weight
- Requires a foreign device to remain in the body
- Can result in possible band slippage or band erosion into the stomach in a small percentage of patients
- Can have mechanical problems with the band, tube or port in a small percentage of patients
- Highest rate of re-operation