If you are morbidly obese -- 100 pounds or more overweight -- you could be a candidate for weight-loss, or bariatric, surgery. Thanks to a new banding procedure, those who are moderately obese, by 40 to 75 pounds, but unable to lose weight in other ways may also be surgery candidates. Although banding has lower risks than traditional surgery, no procedure is risk-free.
Background
There are several types of weight-loss surgery, including gastric bypass surgery and adjustable gastric banding. The gastric bypass is typically reserved for morbidly obese patients and is major surgery, which carries significant risk. Parts of the digestive tract are bypassed, reducing food absorption, and the stomach is refashioned into a small pouch. Banding can be done laparoscopically, with fewer complications and less altering of the body anatomy.
Basics
Gastric banding, in contrast, is restrictive only in that it reduces the size of the stomach. To do so, the surgeon places an adjustable silicone band around a portion of the stomach, leaving a pouch for about one ounce of food. Saline can be used to make the band tighter or looser, depending on the patient's condition. The tightness of the band determines the size of the stomach pouch.
Benefits
The adjustability of the band can allow for fewer side effects and better weight loss. It is also reversible, unlike bypass surgery. Banding has been found to be effective in patients who have not been able to lose weight using traditional methods, and has also been found have more lasting results.
Considerations
To be a candidate for the banding procedure, you should have a BMI of at least 40, or 35 with an obesity-related health problem. You must be 18 years or older and have been overweight for at least five years. You will also be required to make major changes in your lifestyle, eating and exercise habits and must be ready to make those changes. You should not be a heavy drinker or pregnant.
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