Select Bariatric Procedures
Deciding on Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric Surgery: Laparoscopic Adjustable Banding
Deciding on Bariatric Surgery
Is excess weight affecting your life and your health? Bariatric surgery (also called obesity surgery) may help you reach a healthier weight. This surgery alters your digestive system. For the surgery to work, you must change your diet and lifestyle. In most cases, the surgery is not reversible. So if you’re considering surgery, learn all you can about it before you decide.
Qualifying for Surgery
Surgery is not for everyone. To qualify:
- You must have a BMI of 40 or more, or a BMI of 35 or more plus a serious health problem such as high blood pressure (see BMI below).
- You must be healthy enough to have surgery.
- You may be required to have a psychological evaluation.
- You must have tried to lose weight by other means.
Setting Realistic Expectations
The goal of bariatric surgery is to help you lose over half of your excess weight. This can improve or prevent health problems. This surgery is not done for cosmetic reasons. Keep in mind that:
- Other weight-loss methods should be tried first. Surgery is only an option if other methods don’t work.
- Surgery is meant to be permanent. You will need to change how you eat for the rest of your life.
- You must commit to eating less and being more active after surgery. If you don’t, you will not lose or keep off the weight.
- You won’t reach a healthy weight right away. Most weight is lost steadily during the first year and a half after surgery.
- Most likely, you won’t lose all your excess weight. But you can reach a much healthier weight.
BMI
Obesity is measured by a formula called body mass index (BMI), which is based on your height and weight. A healthy BMI is about 18 to 25. A BMI of 30 or more signals obesity. A BMI of 40 or more reflects severe (morbid) obesity.
Bariatric Surgery: Laparoscopic Adjustable Banding
Bariatric surgery changes the size of your stomach to help you lose weight. The goal is to limit how much food can be eaten and/or absorbed at one time. You are having laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. This procedure closes off a portion of the stomach to create a very small pouch.
The Procedure
An adjustable band is placed around the top part of the stomach to create a small pouch. This pouch holds a few tablespoons of food. Food passes slowly through a narrow opening at the bottom of the pouch. So you feel full longer. The size of the band is adjusted using a port placed under the skin. Adjusting the band changes how quickly food leaves the new pouch.
Special Note: The Gallbladder
Bariatric surgery is designed to cause a large amount of weight loss. Weight loss can cause deposits in the gallbladder called gallstones. To prevent this, the gallbladder may be removed during your surgery or at a later date.