The Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding procedure controls the amount of food that you can eat at one time. A hollow silicone band, placed around the top of your stomach, creates a small pouch and narrow passageway into the rest of the stomach, thereby limiting the amount of food you can consume. The band is then inflated with a saline solution. After food enters the pouch, it slowly empties into the rest of the stomach. Liquids pass through the narrow opening created by the band while denser foods are delayed from passing through.
Band adjustments occur six to eight weeks after surgery and as needed thereafter. For example, the band can be adjusted during pregnancy to allow for appropriate nutritional intake. Patients considering this procedure are carefully screened for dietary habits and preferences as well as pre-existing gastroesophageal reflux disease.
If you’d like to find out more about weight loss that really works, please call The Center for Bariatric Surgery at (201) 781-1380.