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Saturday, August 1, 2015

Basics On Gastric Banding Surgery Nj Residents May Find Interesting

By Olive Pate


Obesity continues to be a major challenge all over the world including Englewood, nj. With an increasing number of people leading sedentary lifestyles, the problem is likely to be with us for a long time. Engaging in physical activities and eating a healthy diet are some of the methods that have been adopted to help deal with the problem. Surgery has been helpful to a good number of patients that fail to respond to the conservative methods. There are some basic facts on gastric banding surgery nj residents may want to know.

This operation is considered minimally invasive. The general principle is to reduce the capacity of the stomach eventually reducing the amount of food that ca be consumed in one sitting. After the operation, a person feels satisfied earlier than was the case previously. This effectively leads to less weight gain and in the long run, net weight loss. The food eaten is prioritised for energy production and very little ends up as storage.

The ideal candidate to undergo the operation should have body mass index, BMI, of more than 40. Alternatively, their weight should be 45kg or more above their ideal weight. In some case, a lower BMI of 35 to 40 is considered if there is an underlying medical cause such as diabetes or hypertension. Another requirement is that the individual must be recognised legally as an adult capable of making sound decisions.

The kind of preparation that is required varies from one centre to another. For instance one may be required to adjust on the number of meals in a day by adopting frequent small meals rather than few heavier meals. Patients are also commonly advised to wean off high calorie foods that have the tendency to increase the body weight. Medical conditions that may be present have to be managed before the operation.

General anaesthesia is typically used in the operation. This may be a downside if you intend to witness the surgery as it goes on. Arranging a video recording may be a good idea in this case. Three holes to serve as entry points for the instruments are made on the abdominal wall. A laparoscope is inserted into one of these entry points and an image of the internal organs of interest projected onto a monitor.

There is no actual cutting that takes place during the operation. Reduction of the stomach size is achieved by placing a silicon band around the upper part of the stomach. Effectively, a small pouch is created and serves as the food reservoir from then on. The band can be adjusted as is desired. The pouch holds less food than was the case before.

There are a number of side effects that have been reported. In the immediate post operative period, patients may complain of vomiting, nausea and abdominal discomfort due to ulceration of the band site. Other side effects include oesophageal reflux, weight regain, dyspepsia, constipation and malabsorption of some vitamins.

In general, few complications are encountered. Death rates stand at 1 in 2000 cases. It should be understood that the skill of the surgeon plays a big part in determining the results. At the same time, dietary modification and engaging in physical exercise need to continue.




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