During gastric band surgery, a small band is applied around the stomach of a super obese patient as a way to help them quickly lose weight. The most popular type of gastric band is the lap band. It has proven to be a safer sort of gastric weight loss surgery than other, more invasive types of bariatric surgery where the stomach is actually cut or stapled. The operation can be performed in Dallas or in any major city in the United States.
A super obese person is a person whose Body Mass Index, or BMI, is equal to or above 45 or above.
Gastric band surgery offers a variety benefits for super obese patients, including:
- A reduction in incidents of asthma attacks.
- Control of or even elimination of Type 2 diabetes, which can be a complication of obesity.
- Elimination of sleep apnea, where the sleeper stops breathing for short periods of time while asleep.
- Lowers high blood pressure.
- Balances cholesterol levels.
- The lap band eliminates the risk of dumping syndrome, which happens when all or most of the stomach is actually removed or by-passed, as in Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy or BPD-DS. Dumping syndrome is the rapid entry of food directly into the small intestines, which can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure and blood flow to the intestines.
In order to feel the full effect of these weight loss benefits, the patient who undergoes the gastric band procedure will have to make great changes in their lifestyle, including regular exercise and changes in their diet.
