Gastric Banding and Weight Loss
Liposuction maybe considered the most popular and convenient method of losing weight but there are also other surgical procedures that could treat weight problems. And one of these medical procedures is gastric bands.
Even liposuction has its own limitations. It could not be performed on people who are considered severely obese. This is why medical professionals recommend that people shed pounds to somewhere near their ideal weight to make surgery safer.
The rise of liposuction and alternative weight loss procedures is not surprising. The numbers of people considered severely obese continues to grow much like an epidemic. This in turn has given rise to the popularity of weight loss procedures such as liposuction and bariatric surgery.
There are several options available for people who are under the category of morbid obesity. These are classified as mal-absorptive and restrictive which has its own procedures and variations. However, all of these methods work with the same principles. It works by limiting food consumption or by decreasing the amount of calorie absorbed from the intestines.
There are varied weight reduction procedures available today. These include gastric banding, gastric bypass, vertical sleeve gastrectomy and more. The most popular of these weight loss surgical procedures continues to be Adjustable Gastric Banding or Laparoscopic Lap Band Surgery.
Gastric Banding Overview
Gastric banding is a surgical weight loss procedure that aims to reduce your food intake by helping you feel fuller. It works by the simple principle that if we limit the amount of food our body can physically take, weight loss could be achieved.
The surgery is performed by making 3 to 5 small incisions along the abdomen. A small pouch if formed in the upper stomach area which is controlled by an adjustable stoma. This physically limits the stomach’s food capacity. This in turn makes the patient feel fuller and thus limits their food intake.
Benefits of Gastric Banding
The US FDA has certified gastric banding as a safe and effective weight loss procedure for people suffering from severe obesity or those that have a BMO of forty or more. Gastric banding offers all the benefits of a proven weight loss reduction procedure. Unlike alternative liposuction and weight loss treatments, its results have been well documented by medical professionals. It requires surgery, but it is minimally invasive and produces great results.
Gastric banding is minimally invasive and does not require cutting or stapling of the stomach. It produces lesser trauma on the stomach making it safer but equally effective. Gastric banding also minimizes the chance of damaging other gastrointestinal organs and tissues because it does not use staples.
The procedure could be done in 30 minutes or as long as an hour. It is done in a hospital setting making it safer compared to surgeries done in small clinics.
Gastric banding produces less tissue trauma and scarring. It is less painful and has little side effects. Gastric banding reduces instances of nausea, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea and weakness seen in other surgeries. Because it is minimally invasive, hospitalization is minimized and patients are able to recover more quickly.
Another unique advantage with using gastric banding for weight loss is that the process is reversible. The gastric band could be removed through a laparoscopic surgery to restore the stomach’s normal volume.
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