Basics Concerning Gastric Banding And Sleeve Gastrectomy

By Ryan Meyer


Bariatric surgeries are increasingly becoming an acceptable method of weight control in New York. In general these methods achieve their effect by reducing the stomach capacity which in turn reduces the amount of food that an individual can eat at a given time. Related to the same is early satiety and reduced absorption of nutrients. There are three main types of bariatric operations that are performed. These include gastric bypass, gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy.

Banding and gastrectomy are distinct options but the principles are the same. As the name suggests, banding involves the use of an artificial band made from silicone. This band is usually fixed to a portion of the stomach resulting in compression. The compression causes a reduction in the volume of the stomach which means that less food will be held from the time of the duration onward.

There are two main forms of surgical approaches that can be used in the placement of silicone bands. The first, the open technique, is performed through a large incision in the anterior abdominal wall. Under direct visualization, the surgeon locates the stomach and places the band in the desired region manually. The second method which is the commoner and more preferred of the two is the laparoscopic approach. Here access to the abdominal cavity is through very small incisions.

The magnitude of compression varies from one patient to another depending on their condition. A higher degree of compression is likely to be used if the patient is obese with associated medical complications. A plastic tubing is usually connected to the tubing and one end can be accessed from an area under the skin. The tube allows for adjustments to compression force to be made. Injection of water in the tubing increases the compression and withdrawing reduces it.

You should anticipate a number of complications when you undergo this procedure. Those that are seen commonly include excessive blood loss, injury to internal structures, nausea and vomiting among others. Vomiting and nausea are likely to ensue if the degree of compression is too much. Reducing the compression resolves these symptoms in most cases. The risk of infections is reduced through the administration of antibiotics.

Gastrectomy can be conducted either laparoscopically or the open procedure. The laparoscopic option is by far, the more preferred due to the fewer complications. In performing gastrectomy, close to 80% of the stomach is removed and discarded. This makes the procedure irreversible unlike banding. The resultant organ looks like a sleeve and hence its name.

When the stomach is converted into the tubular structure, the period of time that food takes in the organ is considerably reduced. This is a desired effect of the operation. Side effects that arise from the performance of sleeve gastrectomy are almost the same as those that are realized with the banding technique. Those that may be specific to gastrectomy include leakage of food through incisions on the stomach and displacement of staples or stitches.

An ideal candidate to undergo bariatric surgery is one who has attempted achieving their objective using conservative methods. Such include participation in regular physical exercise and diet modification in a manner that reduces carbohydrate and fat content. Persons that have a high body mass index BMI of say, 40, are more likely to benefit than those with a lower value of this index.




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