Complications & Dangers Of Gastric Band Surgery

With any type of medical surgery there is always going to be advantages and disadvantages, there are a number of disadvantages and dangers which are associated with undergoing Gastric band surgery.  Gastric band surgery should be seen as a last resort, and should only be considered if all other attempts at weight loss has been considered, it is necessary to point out that it is in no way a quick weight loss method, there are many guidelines and rules to stick too after the surgery has been completed. Gastric band surgery, in general is a safe weight loss surgery, but again along with all surgery there are some risks which should be considered.

You may experience bouts of vomiting, diarrhoea, and stomach pain; Vomiting has been reported in around 50% of cases, and often is caused by your stomach adjusting.  In other cases you may develop gall stones which would lead to the removal of the gall bladder, this is however quite rare.


Dysphagia

This side effect is where a person finds it hard to swallow, and some cases have seen people finding it impossible to eat solid foods. If this side effect is consistent for numerous weeks, medical attention must be sought, as the band may need to be replaced or removed.

Gastroesophageal Reflux

This is caused by the reduction in stomach size and the rise of Gastric juices reaching the oesophagus it results in a burning sensation in the abdomen, chest and throat. This can be reduced by altering your diet; specific food types such as spicy or high fat foods should be removed from your diet.

Stoma Obstruction

This occurs in the top part of the stomach, the smaller part created by the band, if food is not chewed properly this section may become blocked. This can be highly painful and may reduce the amount of food you can actually intake, if any at all. If this is a regular occurrence you may need to have your band loosened.

Dangers

The types of risk vary on a case-by-case basis as every individual is different. The major risk is death however this happens to less than 1% of all procedures, and 1 in 5 patients are re admitted for some sort of follow up treatment needed if the original procedure hasn’t gone to plan. The band may sometimes erode into the stomach and have to be removed, this again is rare, but can be solved by being removed.

Long Term Risks

Gastric band surgery can over time require corrective adjustment surgery when individuals become ill or pregnant, generally this shouldn’t affect the band, and however in a small number of people it may be necessary. Placing a band round the stomach is not an instant fix and will not cause weight to just drop off, you will need to work at it, with a reduced balanced diet and lots of exercise, you must be willing to follow the reduced calorie intake strictly, as often if too much food is forced down it can lead to the band slipping which can cause further complications.

How Likely Is There To Be A Complication after having a Gastric Band Fitted?

It is very rare for there to be a complication with the fitting of a Gastric band, in the unlikely case that something is wrong the majority of problems can be dealt with by changing your diet, or adjustment of the band, or even removal of the band. If you are unable to swallow food or liquid, you should endeavour to immediately seek advice from your GP.

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