Adjustable Gastric Band Removal
Revision Surgery for Gastric Banding
Some patients with Adjustable Gastric Band will need to have the band removed. It may be because the patient did not lose an adequate amount of weight, it may be that the patient lost weight but the weight came back, the band may have slipped or worked its way into the stomach.
If you have not achieved the expected weight loss after a gastric band, or believe that your gastric band is causing medical problems, contact Charlton Bariatrics to discuss having the band removed with our experienced bariatric surgeon.
Signs That May Suggest You Need the Adjustable Gastric Band Removed
The following are some physical signs that may occur after Adjustable Gastric Band surgery that could indicate a problem with the band:
- Frequent heartburn
- Vomiting
- Difficulty eating and swallowing
- Difficulty losing weight
- Infection of the port of the band
- Persistent upper abdominal pain
The Removal Procedure
The band removal is usually a laparoscopic operation. During the procedure, the surgeon will cut away any tissue that has grown over the band and remove the sutures that were used to hold the band in place. This should make it safe to cut out or unbuckle the band. Then, any residual scar tissue around the stomach is removed.
Benefits of Removing The Band
Removal of the band generally leads to improvement or complete resolution of the difficulty in swallowing, in reflux symptoms and of abdominal pain.
Long Term Effects of Removing The Band
Removal of the band may not completely resolve the symptoms. This may be related in part to how long the problem has been present. That is, the longer you experience difficulty with swallowing and frequent vomiting (i.e. years), the lower the probability that the symptoms will resolve completely.
Another problem with removal of the band is that the risk of weight regain is significant. Therefore, most patients opt for not only removal of the band, but revision to another weight loss operation.
If you are still facing health complications as a result of obesity, you may consider converting the band to another weight loss operation such as gastric sleeve or gastric bypass. It is important that you are committed to the lifestyle changes necessary for long-term weight control. Otherwise, any new operations for weight loss will likely not be successful.
Call Charlton Bariatrics at (972) 709-7110 if you believe your gastric band needs to be removed and would like to talk to an experienced bariatric surgeon.