Gastric Band Implantation - Methods

When diet and regimen no longer lead to desired weight reduction in the long run, one can resort to an operative therapeutic solution - the implantation of a gastric band - for those affected who are severely overweight. Most commonly, an adjustable or variable gastric band is installed. The rubber band is applied to the upper part of the stomach using a minimally invasive technique ("keyhole surgery"), which serves to separate the stomach into two compartments: a small anterior stomach (stomach pocket or pouch) above the band which can hold a volume of about 20 milliliters, and the rest of the stomach below the gastric band (remaining stomach). Due to the rapid filling of the smaller anterior stomach, the patient feels sensations of fullness much more quickly and stops the food supply. Over time, this leads to teaching the patient to eat slowly and, above all, in smaller quantities. Connected to a metal-housed capsule in the abdominal wall, the gastric band can be adjusted to be narrower or wider at any time in the context of subsequent therapy, thus making it possible to adapt it to the individual nutrition plan of the patient. 3,4 Excess weight is reduced through the implantation of a gastric band by an average of up to two-thirds. ⁵

For the execution of such an operation, some prerequisites must be fulfilled. In addition to a correspondingly high BMI (at least Obesity II, which means a BMI of >35 kg/m² or Obesity III with a BMI of >40 kg/m²), the abnormal adiposity must have been present for longer than 5 years, and must have been subjected to at least a year of conservative therapeutic approaches under medical supervision without having obtained successful results. The patient must also show willingness to undergo appropriate post-operative therapy including changes in eating habits, a diet plan, and regular checkups. The procedure cannot be performed for patients with chronic inflammations or deformations in the upper gastrointestinal tract, addictive disorders, esophagal varices (varicose veins in the esophagus), allergies to the material in the gastric band, pregnancy, or the desire to have children within the first two years after the operation. Prior operations in the area of the upper abdomen also prove to be problematic for the implantation of a gastric band. ^4,5,6

Please speak about the above-mentioned and further possible treatment methods in detail with the doctor who is treating you.