Gastric Banding

 

The Advantages

• Food passes through the digestive tract in the usual order, allowing nutrients to be absorbed fully by the body.
• The band can be adjusted to increase or decrease restriction via the access port.
• The surgery can be reversed.

Gastric banding surgery has shown significant improvements in overall cholesterol, including a boost in HDL levels; 47.9% of Type II diabetic cases are resolved; 70.8% of hypertension cases are resolved or improved.

 

Risks and Disadvantages

• The access port may leak or twist, which can require an operation to correct the problem.
• Patients may not feel the necessary feeling of satisfaction that one has had enough to eat.
• The band may erode into the stomach wall.
• The band may move or slip.
• Weight loss is slower than that after gastric bypass surgery.