Wednesday 13 April 2016

Procedures Involved In Lap-band And Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

By Joseph Foster


The use of surgery to facilitate weight loss is a practice that has continued to increase in popularity by the day. One of the reasons as to why this is the case is because great advances have been made in the surgical field resulting in operations can be performed through minimal access with very few complications. Lap-band and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy are examples of procedures that have helped many people lose unwanted weight.

Using surgery as an option for weight loss should come at the rear end after everything else has been attempted. Lifestyle options are the most ideal way of shedding off extra weight even though their effect takes fair long to be appreciated. The two main areas where lifestyle changes can be adopted is in the level of physical activity and the diet. Ensure that you take part in intensive physical activities regularly and cut down on high calorie foods in the diet.

This surgery is also known as gastric banding. As suggested by the name, a silicon band is used. Fitting this band on the upper portion of the stomach significantly reduces the size of your stomach. As a matter of fact the remainder is just a small pouch whose capacity is about an ounce of food. This operation is done laparoscopically meaning that very small incisions (surgical cuts) are required to see it through.

When the size of your stomach is reduced to a small pouch, the amount of food that you can consume at meal time is significantly reduced. You will notice that you get early satiety. Within weeks or months, you will start to lose weight because most of what you eat is used in the provision of energy and very little is converted to fat.

The silicon strip is connected to a long tube that is accessible from under the skin. This tube gives the surgeon and the patient control over the silicon band. One can increase or reduce the pressure exerted by the band by filling the plastic tubing with water or emptying it. Increased pressure may be needed if the pouch is too big and a reduction may be required if it is too small.

There are several complications that may be encountered in the course of these complications. They include minor bleeding, vomiting, esophageal spasms, infections and leakage of food. Many of these complications can be managed easily. You will be well advised to have a discussion with your surgeon regarding these complications and to assess what your level of risk is.

Sleeve gastrectomy, unlike the band procedure, is irreversible. However, both are restrictive surgeries. This means that they are aimed at reducing the holding capacity of your stomach. In the sleeve surgery, a large section of the stomach (75 to 80%) is removed to leave a tubular pouch that looks like a sleeve. The reduced capacity and the increased emptying time are the main causes of weight loss in this case.

Note that the results are not the same even when performed at the same center. The differences are due to patient as well as doctor factors. The most important patient factors include severity of condition, the type of lifestyle after the procedure and genetic factors. Doctor factors may include techniques used and skill level.




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