What is gastric band surgery?
The gastric band procedure involves placing a silicone ring close to the top of your stomach. This stimulates the nerve endings and helps to make you feel satisfied on smaller portions of food. The gastric band is fully adjustable, and you will need band adjustments every so often to ensure it is optimal for you and your body. It is important to make lifestyle changes too in terms of healthy eating and regular activity to achieve the best possible results.
What is gastric band surgery?
Gastric bands are made from silicone and contain three key components – a reinforcing band, tubing and balloon. The balloon is filled with saline fluid by the surgeon to an amount suited to each patient – which can vary from 0ml to 9ml. The reinforcing band is wrapped around the stomach to form a small pouch which reduces the amount of food that can fit in the stomach, aiding weight loss. The tubing connects the balloon and the injection port, which the surgeon uses to adjust the amount of fluid in the balloon.
Is a lap band different to a gastric band?
Lap band is short for laparoscopic gastric band, so it’s just another name for a gastric band. If you’re not sure that a gastric band is for you but are interested in other types of weight-loss surgery, we also offer gastric sleeve and gastric bypass.
How does gastric band surgery work with pregnancy?
Pregnancy after gastric band surgery has not been found to be dangerous; a 2014 study titled Pregnancy after laparoscopic gastric banding: maternal and neonatal outcomes concluded that it’s safe to carry a child while you have a gastric band. Your specialist dietitian will advise you on the best way to manage this both nutritionally and in terms of fluid in the band. However, it’s advisable to wait a year or so after surgery before getting pregnant. If you have any concerns, or you think you might be pregnant, speak to your surgeon and your local GP.
Will I need to stay in hospital?
You will normally stay in hospital for one night after your procedure, and your surgeon will advise on your personalised care plan following your surgery.
The gastric band is designed to stay with you for life to assist you in achieving your target weight. However, it can be removed if you want to reverse the procedure.
Will I need to stay in hospital?
Typically, you’ll need to stay in hospital for one night after your procedure, and your surgeon will advise on your personalised care plan following your surgery for the gastric band.
Will I need time off work?
After the fitting of your gastric band, time off work will be needed to aid your recovery. We usually recommend that you take a week off, but this may vary from patient to patient depending on the procedure that you have. Your surgeon will be able to advise you exactly how much time you’ll need to rest post-surgery.
What’s the typical weight loss following gastric band surgery?
Gastric bands are designed to help you lose weight gradually. After the fitting of your gastric band, the weight loss you experience will depend on you committing to a healthy lifestyle and following your specialist dietitian’s advice to get the best results. The average weight loss from gastric band surgery after three years, according to the is 44-55% of excess weight.
How often will I need an adjustment?
This varies from person to person. Sometimes, simply having the band in place but without being tightened is enough to provide sufficient benefit. The first adjustment (if required) takes place a minimum of five weeks following gastric band surgery. However, it usually takes about 4-6 months to reach a level where you are comfortably and consistently losing weight. After the first modification, band adjustments must be a minimum of three weeks apart, if they’re needed. We advise patients to take their lead from our specialist dietitians when deciding whether an adjustment is required. This helps you recognise how your own eating patterns and food choices help to activate the fluid in your band and how you can work with it.
What is the gastric band recovery time following surgery?
The exact length of lap band recovery time after surgery is different for each person. Typically, you’ll be able to leave the hospital a day after your surgery but it’s worth taking a week off work to give yourself time to rest after this. Generally, we advise taking it relatively easy for the first two weeks after surgery, and you should be able to resume all your day-to-day activities and exercise regime after six weeks. The dedicated and expert dietitian looking after you will advise you on food and liquid intake during your gastric band recovery time.
How much is a gastric band procedure?
Here at The Hospital Group, we tailor our treatment plans in line with each patient’s unique requirements. For this reason, the gastric band cost may vary, depending on a range of factors. You can use our simple price check to work out how much your gastric band surgery may cost, which first calculates your BMI to establish your suitability for a weight-loss procedure. Please note that this is an estimated price, and your patient advisor will be able to give you a detailed overview of the gastric band price during your consultation. You can choose to pay for your treatment in full or spread the gastric band cost over 24, 36, 48 or 60 months using our finance options. As well as finance plans of up to five years, we also offer a 0% finance option which allows you to spread the cost over 12 months with no interest to pay. All our finance options are subject to individual status and are provided by Omni Capital Retail Finance Limited, who are authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.