Bariatric surgery procedures work in one of two ways: restrictive, which means it reduces the amount of food you eat; and malabsorptive, which means it lets the food you eat pass through the intestine without being absorbed.
The adjustable gastric band is a restrictive procedure and the only procedure that does not involve cutting the stomach or intestines.
During the surgery, an adjustable gastric band is placed around the top part of the stomach to create a small pouch. The inner lining of the band is a balloon that can be filled with saline to narrow the stomach opening, thus slowing the passage of food. The food spends more time in the gastric pouch, making you feel full and satisfied.
Your band will be adjusted periodically in your surgeon’s office, especially during the first year after the surgery. Adjustments are done non-surgically, through a port that is placed under the skin in the abdominal wall. A hypodermic needle is inserted into the port and saline is added or removed with a needle and syringe.
Advantages of Adjustable Gastric Band:
- Patients typically return home on the day of surgery
- Adjustable and reversible
- Less severe complications
- No malabsorption
Disadvantages of Adjustable Gastric Band:
- Mechanical problems like slippage and erosion
- Easier to “sabotage” by consuming high-calorie food or fluids
- Higher re-operative rate - 5% (but generally for less serious complications)
Physicians offering the Adjustable Gastric Band at Evergreen: