Vertical banded gastroplasty is surgery to treat obesity . It causes weight loss by decreasing the amount of food you can eat.
The surgery treats severe obesity. Doctors use a calculation called body mass index (BMI ) to determine how overweight or obese you are. A normal BMI is 18.5-25.
This surgery is a weight loss option for people with:
The success of vertical banded gastroplasty depends on your commitment. If lifestyle changes are made and maintained, the benefits of bariatric surgery include:
If you are planning to have gastroplasty, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:
Factors that may increase the risk of complications include:
Each bariatric surgery program has specific requirements. Your program will likely include the following:
Leading up to your procedure:
General anesthesia will be used. You will be asleep for the surgery.
To prepare you for surgery, a nurse will place an IV line in your arm. You may receive fluids and medicines through this line during the procedure. The doctor will place a breathing tube through your mouth and into your throat. This will help you breathe during surgery. You will also have a catheter placed in your bladder to drain urine.
The doctor will make an 8-10 inch incision to open the abdomen. Surgical staples will be used to divide your stomach into two unequal portions. The upper portion will be a small pouch. It will empty through a tiny opening into the lower portion. The small pouch can hold only ½ to 1 cup of soft, moist, and well-chewed food. A normal stomach can hold 4-6 cups.
Next, a plastic band will be wrapped around the tiny opening. This will prevent it from stretching. This band can be adjusted after surgery. The incisions will then be closed with staples or stitches.
The breathing tube will be removed. You will be taken to the recovery area.
About two hours
Anesthesia will prevent pain during surgery. You may have pain and/or soreness at the incision sites. Your doctor can give you pain medicine to relieve the discomfort.
You will be in the hospital for 2-5 days. Your doctor may choose to keep you longer, however, if complications arise.
While you are recovering at the hospital, you may receive the following care:
Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions. You will need to practice lifelong healthy eating and exercising habits. Keep in mind after your surgery:
Your new stomach is the size of a small egg. It is slow to empty. This will make you feel full quickly. Nutritional steps include:
You may need to take medicines, as directed by your doctor, which may include:
After you leave the hospital, call your doctor if any of the following occurs:
RESOURCES:
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
http://www.asbs.org/
National Institutes of Health
http://www.nih.gov/
Weight Control Information Network
http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Obesity Network
http://www.obesitynetwork.ca/
Weight Loss Surgery
http://www.weightlosssurgery.ca/
References:
DeMaria E. Bariatric procedures. In: ACS Surgery: Principles & Practice. Medscape website. Available at: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/505012_1. Accessed June 20, 2005.
Gastrointestinal surgery for severe obesity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website. Available at: http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/gastric.htm. Published December 2004. Updated March 2008. Accessed July 19, 2008.
Kendrick ML, Dakin GF. Surgical approaches to obesity. Mayo Clin Proc. 2006;81(10 Suppl):S18-24.
Laparoscopic gastric bypass procedure. The Cleveland Clinic website. Available at: http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/1900/1993.asp?index=4355. Accessed June 20, 2005.
Maggard MA, Shugarman LR, Suttorp M, et al. Meta-analysis: surgical treatment of obesity. Ann Intern Med. 2005;142:547-559.
Malinowski SS. Nutritional and metabolic complications of bariatric surgery. Am J Med Sci. 2006;331:219-225.
Obesity surgery. Columbia University Department of Surgery website. Available at: http://www.columbiasurgery.org/divisions/obesity/index_obe.html. Accessed June 20, 2005.
Olbers T, Bjorkman S, Lindroos A, et al. Body composition, dietary intake, and energy expenditure after laparoscopic roux-en-y gastric bypass and laparoscopic vertical banded gastroplasty: a randomized clinical trial. Ann Surg. 2006;244:715-722.
The story of surgery for obesity. American Society for Bariatric Surgery website. Available at: http://www.asbs.org/html/story/chapter4.html. Accessed June 20, 2005.
Surgery for obesity: what is it and is it for you? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research website. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=HQ01465. Accessed June 20, 2005.
Vertical banded gastroplasty. US National Library of Medicine website. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/19498.htm. Accessed July 22, 2005.
¹9/2/2009 DynaMed Systematic Literature Surveillance DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance: The Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (LABS) Consortium. Perioperative safety in the longitudinal assessment of bariatric surgery. N Engl J Med. 2009;361:445-454.
Last reviewed October 2009 by Daus Mahnke, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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