Bariatric Surgery: Laparoscopic Adjustable Banding

The procedure

The surgeon puts an adjustable band around the top part of your stomach. The band is like a ring. It makes a small pouch in your upper stomach. This pouch holds only a few tablespoons of food. Food passes slowly through a narrow opening at the bottom of the pouch. This lets you feel full longer. The size of the band can be changed by using a port placed under the skin. The port gives your healthcare provider a way to put in a needle. They use the needle to add or remove fluid from the band. This is done to make the size of the opening bigger or smaller. Changing the band opening size changes how quickly food leaves the new pouch.

 Gallstone risk

Weight-loss surgery is meant to cause a large amount of weight loss. Weight loss can cause gallstones. These are collections of solid material in the gallbladder. These collections could potentially cause blockage, inflammation, and pain. To prevent this, the surgeon may remove the gallbladder during your surgery if you already have gallstones. Or you may need your gallbladder removed at a later date.

All types of weight-loss surgery have different advantages and disadvantages. Be sure to discuss the risks and complications of this surgery with your healthcare provider.