Endocrinology and nutrition

Unidad de Endocrine Neck Surgery

Consultants:

Gastric Band

Gastric Band: surgical solution

Gastric band surgery is a procedure that facilitates weight loss. In the United States it is performed more often than any other surgical method, as it is considered to be the safest.

The gastric band is a silicone band that is placed around the stomach, decreasing its capacity by up to 25-30cc. This leaves less space in the stomach for food, causes patients to feel full more quickly, and facilitates weight loss.

It is placed via a laparoscopic procedure, a simple and safe technique that does not require any large incisions, which reduces recovery time and complications. The surgery takes 1 hour. It is done under general anaesthesia, so you will spend 1 night in our Hospital and go home the following day.

How does the gastric band work?

The gastric band is placed around the upper portion of the stomach, as if it were a belt. This way, when you eat the part of stomach above the band is filled with a small amount of food, making you feel full. Food slowly passes into the rest of the stomach through the stricture created by the band, continuing to the rest of the intestine from there in completely normal way.

The band is connected to a small device that is placed under the skin, and through that device saline solution can be easily injected in order to tighten or loosen the band, controlling the speed with which food passes from the pocket created by the band to the rest of the stomach. This gives us two additional advantages:

▪ The gastric band is adjustable, which allows us to have control over the weight loss.

▪ The gastric band is reversible. Simply by opening the band, the effects can be reversed, and the band can be removed via laparoscope.

Who is a candidate for gastric band surgery?

A gastric band is advisable for adults who have repeatedly failed to lose weight through diet, drug treatments, and changes in eating habits.

Patients must have a BMI that is equal to or greater than 40; for patients that suffer from other obesity-related diseases, the BMI has to be equal to or greater than 35. In addition, patients must commit themselves to long-term follow up, not only to monitor the band itself but to also monitor the patient’s eating habits and lifestyle.

Placing the Gastric Band

Gastric band placement is performed in our Hospital. An overnight stay is required after surgery, and patients can go home the following day.

Gastric band placement is done via laparoscopic surgery, under general anaesthesia. The operation takes 1 hour.

After placement: Adjustments, food monitoring and follow up

After the band is in position, it will need to be adjusted in order to get optimum results. After the first months and after 3 or 4 adjustments, it’s usually not necessary to adjust it more than once a year. These adjustments will take place at our Hospital in just a few minutes and the process is painless.

After undergoing gastric band surgery, patients generally go back to their routines the second day after surgery, though they must avoid heavy physical exertion and quick or sudden movements. Patients can return to work within seven to ten days as long as their work does not require any heavy physical exertion. Physical exercise can be resumed after three weeks.

In the first week following the placement of the gastric band, patients will need to follow a liquid diet, reintroducing solid food during the first month. This will help their stomach recover and help the band settle.

Patients will be guided on every aspect of their diet. We will explain what amounts of food should be eaten and provide menus and guidelines to follow in order to have a balanced diet.

Our dietician guides our patients through every phase of their diet, explaining what portions should be eaten, food textures, and menu ideas. Patients are also given guidelines for maintaining a diet that is balanced and has all the nutrients needed to lead a healthy life.