Banded Gastric Sleeve: What Does It Mean?
Banded Gastric Sleeve refers to a surgical procedure where a portion of the stomach is removed by sleeve gastrectomy, and a silicone band is placed around the stomach to prevent it from expanding beyond the size of the sleeve. The band restricts the amount of food that can be consumed, which helps the patient feel full more quickly and reduces the amount of food that the body stores, leading to weight loss.
The human body requires a certain amount of food and calories to perform its functions. However, consuming more food than necessary leads to weight gain. Banded Gastric Sleeve surgery changes the patient's eating habits by reducing the amount of food consumed, allowing the body to receive only the necessary amounts without storing excess food.
What is the difference between regular and banded gastric sleeve surgery?
The main difference between regular and banded gastric sleeve surgery is the silicone band around the stomach. Regular gastric sleeve surgery involves removing about 70% of the stomach, which makes the patient feel full with small amounts of food. With advanced technology, this surgery can be performed laparoscopically through four small incisions less than 2 cm. During the surgery, the cells secreting hunger hormone are removed, which reduces the patient's appetite most of the time.
Banded Gastric Sleeve surgery involves the same sleeve gastrectomy as regular surgery but with a silicone band around the stomach to prevent it from expanding again, preventing the patient from overeating and gaining weight again.
Pre-surgical instructions for banded gastric sleeve surgery:
Banded Gastric Sleeve surgery is most suitable for people with severe obesity who want to lose weight quickly. Patients must be between 18 and 65 years old and follow these instructions:
1. Psychological preparation and understanding the new eating and lifestyle routine will help the person be fully prepared and avoid frustration.
2. Start exercising before the surgery, even if it is simple, as it will be continued after the procedure.
3. Stop smoking completely before the scheduled surgery date.
4. Avoid taking blood-thinning medications before the surgery, and inform the doctor of any administered medications.
Risks of a Banded Gastric Sleeve:
Before undergoing any surgical procedure, the patient should talk to his physician to understand the risks and their likelihood based on his health condition. Based on that, the patient may decide whether to proceed with the procedure or not. There are several risks associated with Banded Gastric Sleeve surgery, including:
1. Malnutrition: Patients may experience a general nutritional deficiency after the surgery due to the reduced absorption of minerals, vitamins, and essential nutrients resulting from partial stomach removal. Therefore, patients must take vitamins and dietary supplements after the surgery.
2. Nausea and vomiting: If the patient eats more than the size of the stomach, he may experience nausea and vomiting, leading to inflammation of the pharynx and esophagus.
3. The possibility of gallstones: Patients may develop gallstones, and require specific medications to dissolve them.
4. The possibility of any leaks from the stomach and food coming out of the stomach cavity, which is very dangerous. Therefore, the patient should continuously follow up with his physician if he experiences any symptoms.
Will your life change after Banded Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
Of course, you will feel a new life and a new feeling after losing excess weight. This feeling is based on achieving remarkable weight loss results with little effort and in a very short time. Obesity is always associated with diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, which can gradually improve with weight loss.
In the first few days after Banded Gastric Sleeve surgery, the patient may feel some pain and may need to take painkillers for a period ranging from a week to ten days. During this period, the patient should avoid physical exertion that may affect his abdomen and the incision site.
The patient will feel full quickly when eating and satiated for a short time during meals. Therefore, the amount of food consumed will be very little but sufficient for the body's needs, resulting in rapid weight loss. The physician will provide a list of allowed foods in the postoperative period until the stomach heals.
The patient should also be aware that Banded Gastric Sleeve surgery helps him regulate his eating habits and quantities. However, the results depend on the patient's adherence to the dietary regimen and daily exercise routine to lose excess weight.
