Weight Loss
A Indepth Guide to Bariatric Surgeries
In a nation obsessed with appearance, more and more people are turning to cosmetic surgery and beauty procedures in an attempt to improve on what Mother Nature has given them, but with obesity becoming an increasing concern in the UK, some surgeries have more than an aesthetic purpose, they could save lives. Bariatric surgery helps patients who are struggling with obesity so much that they can’t embark on a fitness program because sheer size prevents them and it also helps people who have tried hard to lose weight through traditional routes but to no avail.
It is of the paramount importance of understanding the differences between Gastric Banding and Gastric Balloons so an informed and educated decision can be reached as to which one is the most appropriate weight-loss procedure for a given patient. The crucial factors are considered to include BMI (Body Mass Index), waist circumference, blood pressure, heart conditions, and also the determination to reinstall healthy relationships with food.
A reputable obesity surgeon can recommend which bariatric surgery should help you achieve the best results. With medical advice and information, patients can make the right decision for their individual circumstances.
The Differences between Bariatric Surgeries
Although Gastric Bands and Balloons both reduce stomach capacity without permanently modifying organs Gastric Balloons are often favored for morbidly obese patients whose physical characteristics restrict other forms of bariatric surgery. Both procedures are reversible, but Gastric Balloons are very much a temporary solution that can stay in place for up to six months, whereas a Gastric Band can be left in position for much longer.
A Gastric Balloon is a non-surgical procedure that can be suitable for patients who typically have a BMI of 27 to 35 and are too obese for other forms of bariatric surgery. Performed under local anesthetic or mild sedation, patients are usually discharged the same day.
A soft silicone balloon is inserted into the stomach during a brief endoscopic surgery, taking approximately a quarter of an hour. Filled with air or saline solution, it works like a Gastric Band to restrict stomach capacity so patients find it easier to eat less. Unlike Gastric Band surgery that requires surgery to reverse, the Gastric Balloon is only a temporary measure and characterized with inflexibility to adjust the volume in which your stomach is able to hold, and usually removed within half a year.
Therefore Gastric Balloon demands the continuous commitment from patients to the improvement of the relationship with food, because after the balloon is removed, it will be up to the patients to keep up with the newly established healthy dieting.
Gastric Banding is often an effective solution for patients with a BMI of over 35. Fitted in around an hour through a minimally invasive keyhole or laparoscopic surgery, although the recovery is very quick, it is advised that patients should remain in hospital overnight for observation. Gastric Bands also restrict stomach capacity helping patients lose weight because they need less food to feel full and learn to adjust to smaller portions with the band effectively repressing the appetite.
Patients should only eat fine and small portion food immediately after the surgery and progressively proceed to regular food once the band is settled in comfortably. An access point connecting to the band will be in place to allow saline solution to be pumped in and out so that the diameter of the band can be modified for a manageable weight loss progression. A Gastric Band is reversible, so if patients really struggle with the restrictions after surgery, the band can be removed.
Many people think Gastric Bands and Balloons are the same bariatric surgical procedures when in fact they are very different treatments for obesity but both demand ongoing commitment on the part of the patient if substantial weight-loss is to be achieved and maintained.
