Dr.Weight // Bariatric surgery // Operations aimed at narrowing the stomach // Laparoscopic gastric banding

• Laparoscopic gastric banding
• Sleeve gastrectomy
• Laparoscopic Anti-Reflux Sleeve Gastroplasty (ASG)
• Laparoscopic gastric bypass

Gastric banding

Laparoscopic gastric banding

Bariatric Surgery - DoctorWeight.com – 2008

This operation is performed by applying a ring around the upper part of the stomach. The ring divides the stomach into two parts – a small stomach above the ring, and a large stomach below the ring. The crucial point is that the satiety receptors are located in the small stomach, above the ring.

The volume of the small stomach is 10-15 cc. It means that a person can eat only a spoonful of food to fill the small stomach. The wall of the small stomach distends, and the activated satiety receptors tell the brain: “Stop eating, I am full.” The person can not continue eating, and does not want to. Accordingly, the amount of calories consumed is reduced, and the person begins losing weight.

This operation is very popular now, especially in Europe and Australia. It is most often performed without a large incision, using a puncture technique. It is called laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.

Figure 5.  Left – original state. Right – after operation. 1 - gullet, 2 – stomach, 3 – stomach load up zone, 4 – “little stomach” above the ring, 5 – adjustable restrictive ring, 6 – “large stomach” under the ring.

Actually only one type of ring is used in surgical practice. It is an adjustable silicone band with an internal inflatable cuff. This type of band facilitates easy control of the size of the narrowing between the small stomach and the large stomach. If weight loss is insufficient, it can be narrowed. This adjustment is made by puncture with a fine injection needle of a special regulation port under the skin and the addition or aspiration of saline solution. This inflates the internal cuff, and the size of the ring decreases. If the water is aspirated, the ring becomes larger.

The task of the doctor is to make the ring size small enough to stop solid food but at the same allow water into the stomach. This gives the feeling of early satiety and helps the patient to lose weight successfully. The important fact is that the weight loss is permanent, as the device can stay in the organism harmlessly and indefinitely.

• Operations aimed at decreasing absorption of nutrients in the digestive tract
• Operations aimed at narrowing the stomach
• Operations aimed at reducing appetite
• Intragastric balloon for loss of excessive weight