Gastric Banding and why it’s Old School

Both gastric banding and gastric sleeve procedures involve a modification of your stomach, so in the end its capacity to hold food is reduced. But both procedures use a different approach. With gastric banding a pouch is formed when the band is wrapped around the stomach. The band is adjusted and there is no cutting or stapling involved. With a gastric sleeve, the procedure is more invasive and does involve cutting and stapling. But the main reason why a vast majority of our Perth patients choose a sleeve gastrectomy over a gastric banding surgery, is connected to the superior outcomes achieved with a sleeve gastrectomy. Gastric band procedures, although safe to perform have been prone to a number of problems. Poor quality eating, vomiting, blockages and need for multiple adjustments have been issues. By 10 years ,in some studies, 80% of bands have either been removed or repositioned.In the subsequent years after sleeve or bypass weight loss results are also more substantial compared to the weight loss achieved with a gastric band.