Gastric Banding Surgery and Its Effectiveness In Achieving Weight Loss

Of all the current public health issues, obesity is perhaps one of the most distressing concerns. Many health experts agree that morbid obesity is a disease that has associations with other major illnesses, and is also associated with a major decrease in life expectancy. With diet, exercise and medications deemed ineffective, bariatric surgery (including “gastric band” surgery) is now viewed as the most potent long-term approach. Let’s take a look at gastric band surgery, and its effectiveness in achieving successful weight loss.

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How The Method Works

In gastric band surgery, a surgeon utilises laparoscopy, or a surgical procedure wherein a fiber-optic instrument is inserted through the abdominal wall, so the doctor could view the internal organs, and safely perform the procedure. According to hypnotherapy weight loss Adelaide experts, an adjustable silicone band is placed around the stomach’s upper part. Once the silicone band is squeezed, the stomach is turned into a pouch with an inch-wide outlet, and will only be able to hold about an ounce of food.

A plastic tube connects the silicone band to a device placed just under the skin, where saline can be injected or removed through the skin, and flows in or out of the silicone band. The saline injection tightens or loosens the gastric band, helps reduce the side effects, and helps the person successfully achieve weight loss too.

Who Are Qualified To Undergo The Procedure?

According to health experts and hypnotherapy for weight loss Adelaide practitioners, the individual can be a candidate for gastric band surgery if he or she meets the following conditions. These conditions include – having more than 100 lbs., having a BMI or Body Mass Index of over 40, having a BMI of over 35 and suffering from diabetes or high blood pressure at the same time. 

The qualified individual must also be between 16 to 70 years old, and should not get pregnant within the first eighteen months to two years following surgery. The reason for this is that the sudden weight loss and the other nutritional deficiencies associated with the surgery can make pregnancy perilous and unsafe, both for the mother and her developing fetus.

What Are The Expected Results?

According to how to reverse obesity Adelaide observers, gastric band surgery can lead to a loss of around forty percent in excess body weight. This means that a person who is 200 pounds overweight can expect to shed around 80 pounds a week or two after the procedure.

The results however vary with each individual, although the procedure is deemed to be the least invasive (and one of the safest) weight loss procedures. However, there have been a couple of negative side effects noted with the surgical method.

What Are The Potential Side Effects?

While the risks of dying due to gastric band surgery is just one in two thousand cases, there have been a couple of problems noted with the procedure.

These include a “band slip”, or a complication wherein the band allows the stomach to slip underneath it. This problem is characterised by stomach pain and difficulty vomiting, and will require quick attention because the blood supply to the stomach could be threatened.

The other common side effects include nausea and vomiting (which can be alleviated by adjusting the band’s tightness), wound infections, minor bleeding, and problems with adjusting the device.

In some cases, patients experienced intolerance to certain food items (including breads, nuts and fibrous meat). In a few cases, food gets stuck in the band, and the patient will vomit and experience slight discomfort until the food passes through.

The Patient Should Experience Gradual Weight Loss

The expected level or amount of weight loss after undergoing gastric band surgery is often gradual, where the patient could expect an average weight loss of half a kilogram per week. The long-term goal however, is to lose an average of sixty-five percent of excess body weight over two years.

According to Ultra Lite Weight and Health Management Program Adelaide adherents, gastric band surgery requires a major change in the person’s dietary habits, and it’s also a very restrictive method, which can be bypassed by consuming high-calorie soft food or liquids. The band will also need a number of adjustments, which are done postoperatively, so that the person can achieve the optimum setting.