In general, gastric banding is indicated
for people for whom all of the following apply:
- Body Mass Index above 40, or those
who are 100 pounds (45 kg) or more over their estimated ideal weight
according to the 1983 Metropolitan Life Insurance Tables or those
between 30 to 40 with co-morbidities which may improve with weight
loss (high
blood pressure,
diabetes,
sleep apnea, and
arthritis).
- Age between 18 and 55 years
(although there are doctors who will work outside these ages, some as
young as 12).
- Failure of dietary or weight-loss
drug therapy for more than one year. Most insurance companies will
want 3 - 6 months of a supervises weight loss program. Like Weight
Watchers, Center for Bariatric
Nutrition or notes from your Doctor.
- History of obesity (generally 5
years or more).
- Comprehension of the risks and
benefits of the procedure and willingness to comply with the
substantial lifelong dietary restrictions required for long term
success.
- Acceptable operative risk.
It is usually contraindicated for
people with any of the following:
- If the surgery or treatment
represents an unreasonable risk to the patient.
- Untreated glandular diseases such as
hypothyroidism.
- Inflammatory diseases of the
gastrointestinal tract such as
ulcers,
esophagitis or
Crohn’s disease.
- Severe
cardiopulmonary diseases or other conditions which may make them
poor surgical candidates in general.
- An allergic reaction to materials
contained in the band or who have exhibited a pain intolerance to
implanted devices.
- Dependency on
alcohol or
drugs.
- [People with severe learning or
cognitive disabilities] or
emotionally unstable people.
Benefits
of gastric banding when compared to other bariatric surgeries
- Lower mortality rate: only 1 in 2000
versus 1 in 200 for
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery
- Fully reversible: stomach returns to
normal if the band is removed
- No cutting or stapling of the
stomach
- Short hospital stay
- Quick recovery
- Adjustable without additional
surgery
- No malabsorption issues (because no
intestines are bypassed)
- Fewer life threatening complications
|