Gastric Banding
Tenerife News September 2008
Even though a lot of celebrities have gastric band fitted, is not a fashionable accessory. It helps with the weight loss and for many people it’s a lifesaving operation.
The surgery is done under anaesthetic followed by microsurgery where several small incisions are made in the abdomen. Thanks to this the surgeon can operate the camera on the end of instruments to put the band around the stomach. If the client is more obese, a laperotomy takes place. This is a larger incision 15 to 20 cm in the abdomen.
The band is made of silicone, it is inflatable and is put around the upper part of the stomach. It makes the stomach smaller. In practice it means you do not to each much as you feel full quicker.
There are obvious benefits of the surgery but there are side effects of the surgery. Nausea or hair loss are some of them. Gastric banding also means healthy eating for life. The diet afterwards must be low-fat and high-protein. Only thee small meals a day should be eaten and no drinks should be taken during the meal.
Patients must also be aware that some foods (such as bread or pasta) can be tolerated more difficult. The other thing is also not eating the recommended amount of food – no weight will be lost if you still eat that much as you used to.
Not all obese patients qualify for gastric banding. Only those with BMI over 40, type 2 diabetes, with high blood pressure and heart disease are being recommended for such an operation. These conditions improve after the surgery, for example type 2 diabetes can disappear.
To help manage the diet it is possible to regularly meet nutritionists as well as support groups.
Who should be considered? Those who are clinically obese and whose weight is dangerous for health
