Gastric Band

For those who have been struggling for years to lose weight and have just about given up, gastric bands are a great choice. There are many different ways to lose weight and you may have tried all of them. Diets and exercise is what everyone preaches, but for some, this is not practical. They have tried these traditional methods of weight loss, but to eat perfectly after years of eating unhealthy is not easy. Also, exercise for the obese can be quite difficult. There are different surgical remedies for weight loss. The most invasive—gastric bypass—involves the re-routing of the intestines. This is not ideal for most people. To remedy this invasiveness, a gastric band can be inserted via laparoscopy around the stomach, which will not change the route your food takes. This will allow for weight loss with minimal scarring and risk.

Gastric Band Procedure

An adjustable gastric band is inserted around the stomach. The surgeon will operate via laparoscopy. A small incision is made and the abdominal cavity is filled with carbon dioxide, a common gas found in the body. This gives the doctor room to work in the cavity. Then the gastric band is put around the top of the stomach, leaving about a half cup of volume for food to enter. This is much smaller than the six cups that are usually available in the stomach. The band is tight enough so that the food slowly enters the rest of the stomach, while telling the body it is full after that half-cup volume is filled.

The gastric band is adjustable, depending on the size needed. As a person loses weight, the band will need to be adjusted. Saline is inserted in the band to inflate it and squeeze on the stomach. The saline is released to deflate it and lessen the tension. The average gastric band can hold 4 to 12 cc of saline.

Gastric Band the Safer Option?

Many believe inserting a gastric band is a much safer option than gastric bypass surgery. This is due to it being much less invasive, with similar results. The band can be a temporary solution, but the bypass is permanent. This is another appeal of using a gastric band. The risk is much lower since it is a reversible procedure. If you are overweight and are looking for a solution that is drastic, yet safe, you should consider talking to your doctor about getting a gastric band. Surgical innervations are normally only considered for people with a BMI (Body Mass Index) above forty. These people are considered to be morbidly obese. People with BMIs below forty are usually advised to consider other options before surgery. The most ideal way to lose weight will always be through diet and exercise. But this is not practical for everyone. Luckily, there are other options for getting that weight off and improving your health. One of the most popular and safe is through use of the gastric band. If you feel this would be a good option for you, consider talking to your doctor today about your options.