What Is Adjustable Gastric Banding?
During gastric banding surgery a silicon band is placed around the upper part of the stomach creating a small pouch and a channel into the rest of the stomach. As it's small the pouch quickly fills up when you eat so that you feel full sooner than normal. The food then passes slowly through the narrow passageway created by the band into the rest of the stomach to be processed as normal. The rate that food can pass into the main part of the stomach depends on the size of the passageway. The more the gastric band is inflated the longer it takes the food to pass through. The band should be seen as a tool to help you re-educate your eating habits.
The gastric band can be removed and the stomach will then return to its normal or near normal state. However, it is designed to stay permanently in place. If the band is removed and the eating habits return to the pre-operative state then the weight will return.
Fitting a gastric band can be done by open surgery but is now more commonly done using laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery. This technique is usually called LAP banding and is less invasive and leaves less scaring.
Open Surgery
A single cut is made in the upper abdomen about 15 to 25cm (6 to 10 inches) long. The gastric band is then fitted and the incision closed up. You may need several days in hospital to recover.
Laparoscopic Surgery
Small cuts, usually about five of them, are made on the abdomen and chest. The cuts are about 1 to 2cm (0.5 to 0.75 inches) long. The surgeon then inserts a tiny telescopic camera so he can see what he's doing. Then using the small cuts for access the band is carefully fitted into place. The cuts are then sewn up. Some hospitals carry out LAP band surgery on a day surgery basis while others require an overnight stay in hospital before discharge.
Once the band is in place adjustments to the size of the pouch can be made by adding or removing fluid to the gastric band's inner core. This is done via a tube running from a "port" to the band. The port, which lies just under the skin, will normally be located in the chest or lower abdomen. The initial inflation is usually done 6 to 8 weeks after the operation, when all the internal swelling has subsided.
There is no need for sedation or anaesthesia when the band is being adjusted, though a needle will be inserted through the skin to access the port. Further adjustments may be made at a later date depending on the progress of your weight loss.
Weight loss surgery is always evolving and now a new form of gastric banding has come on the market. Instead of using the port system to adjust the band, remote controlled electronics are used to close or open the band thus eliminating the need for the access port. This system is known as the Telemetric Adjustable Gastric Band (TAGB), also called Easyband.
The cost of gastric banding surgery ranges from £5,000 to £10,000 depending on where you have it done. If you a high BMI you will probably be charged more than those who are only moderatedly overweight.
The following video will give you some idea about what's involved in having a gastric lap band fitted.