| Gastric Banding Procedures
One of the solutions for the treatment of obesity is the performance of a type of bariatric surgery called gastric stapling, better known as gastric banding surgery. In this procedure, the stomach is not divided or removed, leaving the digestive process intact, contrary to other weight loss procedures that modify the size of the stomach permanently.
Gastric banding procedure is performed using a band or staples to divide the stomach into 2 parts, one of them simulating the small pouch left after other types of permanent surgeries such as roux-en-y gastric. The new pouch after surgery can only hold nearly one ounce of food, the reason why these procedures are also known as restrictive surgeries.
The dramatic reduction of the stomach limits the eating habits of the patient. After a gastric banding procedure, individuals can only eat 3/4 to one cup of food resulting in nausea and vomiting if the person eats more that the amount of food that the pouch can hold, but eventually the pouch can expand to hold up to 3 ounces of food.
Stretching of the stomach over time makes one people question the efficacy of gastric banding procedure, however, this surgery can be easily reversible if necessary, for instance, when it causes to other health problems including malnutrition or a sort of bulimia.
Once the doctor approves surgery, patients can discuss the types of banding procedures, but more often, the adjustable gastric banding (AGB) is recommended. This surgery consists of attaching an inflatable band around the top portion of the stomach and tightening it as a belt.
The procedure results in a pouch that serves as a smaller stomach that holds less food. Surgeons can adjust the diameter of the band by adding or removing salt water. AGB is relatively new, but widely used because the gastric banding procedure does not require the use of staples.
In the United States , the first adjustable gastric banding system was approved in 2001, by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), although the traditional system using staples for the gastric banding procedure is still in use. In fact, there is another gastric stapling surgery combining both staples and band to create the new pouch.
Another advantage of these procedures is that they can be performed in some individuals with the aid of a laparoscope instead of the practice of an open incision, although depending on the procedure more than one laparoscope may be needed to place the band or staples in place.
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