Gastric Band Procedure

Overview

The Gastric Band procedure is a safe, effective, and well-established surgical option for severely obese patients. To date, over 500,000 Gastric Bands have been implanted around the world with data supported by more than 1,300 publications and references with up to 10 years of follow-up.¹

Unlike gastric bypass surgery, the Gastric Band procedure is truly minimally invasive. This laparoscopic procedure is performed under general anaesthesia. An inflatable silicone band is placed around the upper part of the stomach, creating a new small upper stomach pouch with the rest of the unaltered stomach below the band. The size of the opening across the devise can be adjusted by adding or removing saline from the band. This modulates the flow rate of food from the upper to lower part of the stomach. There is no permanent partitioning or stapling of the stomach and there is little risk of vitamin or mineral deficiencies because the stomach and small bowel is not bypassed.

Studies have shown that standard gastric bypass surgery generally results in more rapid weight loss than with the Gastric Band procedure surgery, but at 3 years and beyond the weight loss is similar for both approaches (50%-60% excess weight loss). ^2,3

At the Surgical Weight Loss Centre the procedure is performed as an outpatient procedure in over 98% of patients. Patients are able to resume their normal activities within about a week.