Severe and lethal obesity requires a surgical approach. The patient that fits in this classification has tried many diets to lose weight, with no success.

The Adjustable Gastric Banding System is designed to induce weight loss in Class II and Class III (severe or lethally obese patients). In one of its extremes, the system involves a band that will be placed around the stomach and in the other one, an access port is necessary for band adustment. Without stapling or damaging the stomach and small intestine like the by-pass does, the gastric band embraces the upper part of the stomach, creating a small gastric pouch (or reservoir), drastically reducing the quantity of food that a person needs to feel satisfied. With the stomach’s new “sand clock” shape, the person will requiere small quantities of food to feel satisfied. That’s why the person will tolerate low calorie diets impossible to tolerate with out it, resulting in a constant weight loss.

Following Obesity Choices post operative indications, depending on pre operative weight, height and band adjustment, most patients lose up to 30 pounds the first month, 50 pounds by the sixth month and 50 % of their weight by the twelfth month. Some even have achieve their ideal weight range in less than 2 years.

What makes the band so great is adjustability. The expandable end of the system (around the stomach tissue) is inflatable; the gastric band can be inflated or deflated, to narrow or widen the passage of food from the “new small stomach” to the normal stomach. This adjustment is performed according to time, weight loss, medical recommendation or patient desire. If the band is tightened, the person will experience faster weight loss and still be satisfied, and if its loosened, the patient is able to tolerate more food.

The radiopaque port is placed out of the abdominal cavity, in the adipose tissue of the abdominal wall, it is visualized with fluoroscopy for adjustment purposes. A kink-resistant tube is used to connect the inflatable section to the access port..



A few benefits of losing weight :

53% decrease in cancer risk
44% decrease in diabetes risk
20% decrease in morbidity (any disease)
Blood pressure level decrease, many times to normal
Cholesterol and triglycerides blood level decrease,
................. many times to normal
Muscle and adipose Insulin resistance decrease
Decrease in the use of medications for disease (i.e., Diabetes)
Decrease in the severity of any disease
Increase of 2 months life expectancy for every lost pound
Increase in mental sharpness and accuracy
Increase in physical activity and stamina
Libido and sexual drive improvement
Self esteem improvement

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