Introduction

In some people, weight gain becomes a disease that affects the quality of life of those who suffer from it, in that case the patient and the doctor can reach certain consensuses to achieve weight loss under healthy and safe parameters where the quality of life and the health of the patient improves, one of these possible treatments for obesity is the gastric band .

After various analyzes and examinations, if you have decided with your doctor that restrictive surgery may be the option to lose weight and improve your health, the gastric band is one of the many possible treatments and in most cases accompanied by a healthy diet .

What is the gastric band?

The gastroplasty endoscopic sleeve is a surgery that involves the installation of an adjustable silicone ring around the top of the stomach , this creates a small pouch where the food is deposited. The band or ring will limit the amount of food that can be consumed, providing a feeling of fullness to the patient after eating certain amounts of food.

This operation is recommended for people who are overweight who are above the average and allows a progressive but constant weight loss after some time after the surgery. After surgical treatment, the doctor can adjust the band to make food pass more slowly or quickly through the stomach, and it can even be removed if the patient so wishes.

Related other methods within treatments for obesity such as the gastric balloon , the sleeve gastrectomy , bariatric surgery, gastric bypass or POSE method .

Who is it suitable for?

Generally, gastric banding patients are those who cannot lose a large amount of weight in the long term through diet and lifestyle change programs , or who have serious health problems caused by obesity.

Doctors often use body mass index (BMI) to determine your eligibility, the recommended that this surgical treatment is only applicable “for people with body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg / m2 or higher, or 28 kg / m2 with associated pathologies (type II diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis of the knees …). ” It is not usually recommended in cases of morbid obesity.

Being a minimally invasive and reversible procedure that helps to lose weight and maintain it, the patient can request it himself, but it is really the bariatric surgeon who after certain analyzes concludes which procedure is the best course of action for the needs and objectives individual patient.

How do I choose the surgeon?

To choose the surgeon to perform this type of procedure, the first thing the patient should do is learn about the procedure itself , investigate the pros and cons for himself, point out any questions that arise in his research so that when the time comes to go to the different clinics have a minimum knowledge about the surgery.

After this previous investigation, the respective clinics that perform this treatment should be sought, it is recommended to inquire in more than one clinic, since it is very important that the patient feels calm and safe with the procedure and the professional who is going to perform it. Based on this, the number of specialized procedures that the clinic performs must be analyzed, verifying that the medical professional has the mandatory degrees and that it is in a company endorsed in the country, preferably in the specialty of the operation, in this case SECO , the Spanish Society for the Surgery of Obesity.

After the surgeon or specialist complies with these conditions, the patient must speak and solve any type of doubt that may arise, analyze the patient-doctor relationship, and where possible, seek testimonials from patients already operated. Although no surgical procedure is the same in every patient, this can give an idea of what the end result will be.

How is the first consultation?

In the first consultation depending on the clinical and medical professional, s and perform a basic protocol analysis of the patient which will be determined by tests and studies whether the patient is suitable or not to undergo the surgical procedure of gastric banding.

In the event that the patient is suitable for the procedure, a series of evaluations will be carried out to assess their health, secondary causes will be ruled out and the pre and postoperative process will be explained in detail.

This is the ideal time for the patient to resolve all their doubts and it is even recommended to ask the medical professional for testimonials from people who have undergone the same procedure or who have a similar medical history.

In addition to the routine and mandatory evaluations for any type of invasive surgery, some clinics perform a psychological analysis to measure the commitment and compliance with the restrictions that the surgery entails.

Preparation for the intervention

In preparing for any weight loss surgery, the patient must commit to the dietary and lifestyle changes necessary for the success of the procedure. Since it is clear in itself that the surgical treatment will help the person reach their goal on the scale, it is necessary for them to start implementing changes before their surgery so that everything reaches the expected term.

Tell your surgeon about any medications you are taking or planning to take during recovery. Some components of these drugs may interact inappropriately with your postoperative medications, as is the case with some contraceptives.
Follow the diet that your medical professional recommends before surgery.
You may need to stop smoking for at least 30 days before and after surgery. Smoking can increase the risk of complications, it can also affect the healing of incisions and increase the risk of infection.
Do not drink any type of alcoholic beverage for at least 48 hours before surgery.

In addition to these logical recommendations, it is important to verify that all the proper analyzes have been carried out and that the patient has been seen by a surgical professional and an anesthesiologist.

How is the lap band procedure performed?

The tells us that the operation is performed “laparoscopic a t ECHNICAL minimally invasive without scar that permits viewing of the abdominal cavity with the help of an optical lens. Through an optical fiber, on the one hand, light is transmitted to illuminate the cavity, while the images of the interior are observed with a camera connected to the same lens, placing the band just below the esophagus-gastric junction ”.

The procedure often takes from an hour to an hour and a half, and is generally performed under general anesthesia, it is a minimally invasive surgical treatment as it is done through small incisions in the abdomen and a laparoscopy.

The device is first placed around the upper part of the stomach, and the tube attached to the band is accessible through a channel under the skin of the abdomen. Using this channel, the surgeon injects saline into the band to manipulate it.

Adjustments are made to alter the degree of constriction around the stomach. The band creates a small stomach pouch above it, with the rest of the stomach below.

The smaller stomach pouch reduces the amount of food that can be held in the stomach at any one time . The result is a greater feeling of fullness after eating less food.

How is the postoperative?

According to the OBES Corporation Institute, one of the advantages of the gastric band “is the speed with which the patient is discharged. In a few hours you can be at home and without suffering postoperative pain. There are almost no risks since the normal anatomy of the digestive tract is not altered. Furthermore, although the adjustable gastric band is designed to always be worn, in case of removal it is easy to remove and returns the digestive tract to its normal anatomy ”

The SEME (Spanish Society of Aesthetic Medicine) reports that the hospital stay varies between 12 and 24 hours and the incorporation to normal life is practically immediate.

Taking this into account, the postoperative period is simple, but it is also determined by the sharpness of the diet of the first weeks , this diet will be regulated by the nutritionist and the bariatric professional who has performed the surgery, but it basically consists of a liquid diet the first days, moving to a semi-liquid diet until reaching the maintenance and control diet.

Normally, your first follow-up visit will be scheduled from 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, and d uring the first year should have a monthly check with your bariatric team. It is also necessary to mention that in these controls it is possible to determine the adjustment of the gastric band and the number of times they should be done, which in this case only depends exclusively on the patient’s condition and how the surgery has assimilated.

Rest for 3 to 6 weeks is recommended, where the activities that are carried out are gentle and do not cause pain, you can climb stairs and walk gently. Lying or sitting for a long time is not recommended.

In general, the first month can be a bit difficult to adapt to the changes that a surgery like this implies, but after you start to notice the results, these changes will become less and less laborious.

Results

The results are mostly positive as there is a high degree of possibility of long-term weight loss for people with obesity. Of course, for the treatment to reach its highest level of effectiveness, the patient must be careful and responsible for their postoperative period . Your diet should be monitored by a nutritionist, and if possible, it should be accompanied by a healthier and more active lifestyle. But in general the results are the following:

On average, 40 to 60 percent of excess weight can be lost, but this depends on the individual and their postoperative process.
Relatively fast recovery.
Less chance of wound infections and hernias after surgery.
Reduction of the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, urinary incontinence and other conditions related to excess weight.
Improved quality of life.

In general, patients who undergo the surgical procedure of gastric banding report s atisfacción respect to the weight loss and health progress.

Contraindications or side effects

Although the risks or contraindications of the gastric band are minor compared to other surgical treatments for obese patients , there is still a percentage that can get some side effects after the operation.

Most of these risks are related to gastric processes such as irritation of the gastric mucosa (gastritis), ulcers and gastric perforation, clearly these risks are manageable and can be avoided with an antacid treatment and good medical control. Another side effect that occurs in the patient is gastroesophageal reflux, which is caused due to the drastic change in the capacity of the stomach; the latter decreases as the body and stomach adapt to the new processes of food intake.

Frequent questions

Who can place this device? A digestive system surgeon, an expert in this type of intervention.
Is it a highly demanded method? Other factors that make it the most demanded method are its reversibility and the absence of long-term controls since, by not modifying the digestive system, it does not produce alterations in nutrients or vitamins.
How is the intervention carried out? Laparoscopically, which is a minimally invasive technique that allows viewing of the abdominal cavity with the help of an optical lens. Light is transmitted through an optical fiber on the one hand to illuminate the cavity, while the images of the interior are observed with a camera connected to the same lens, placing the band just below the esophagus-gastric junction.
What risks does the intervention entail? It is one of the treatments considered broadly safe without offering high levels of risk for the obese person who makes the decision to undergo this type of bariatric surgery. Although it does not usually reproduce very frequently, on some occasions certain risks of the gastric band may appear derived from its placement inside the body.
How is the POSE method different from it? The gastric band is a silicone ring that incorporates an inflatable intragastric balloon inside and that can be adjusted from a valve placed under the skin. The POSE is an endoscopic stomach suture trying to reproduce the gastric sleeve that is performed by laparoscopic surgery. Rotger Clinic Clinic
Who is it recommended for? For people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 kg / m2 or higher or 28 kg / m2 with associated pathologies (type II diabetes, hypertension, knee osteoarthritis…)
Can be removed? It should be assessed whether when removing it it will stop fulfilling its function and therefore possibly the lost weight can be regained if eating habits have not been changed.
How does the patient have to prepare? Before the intervention, it is advisable to lose 10% of overweight in order to reduce liver size and facilitate access to the stomach. As in any laparoscopic intervention, the patient must fast for 8 to 12 hours.
Can the gastric band be done at the same time as a breast augmentation? There is no problem to associate both techniques. However, it is recommended to do the increase when the proposed weight has been lowered. This way, the size will be better chosen, such as the implantation plane of the prostheses, since the lowering of the chest can affect the chest region, sometimes a lot