Stomach stapling also known as vertical banded gastroplasty has a very simple principle behind it. If you can’t control your mouth and seem to gobble up anything that you find, then why not restrict your stomach that it forces you not to eat anymore. Apparently, many people are so addicted to food that binding their stomach into less than half its original size is the only way to stop their love affair with food. Not only does the stomach take less food but even some of the food is bypassed directly to the small intestine. So, there is less absorption of calories and nutrients. This results in a gradual reduction of weight. This is a very viable option for many people whose obesity makes it difficult to perform their daily function. After this procedure, people start eating less and less and gradually their excessive craving for food also comes down. By the time their weight comes to the normal level they would also have controlled their addiction to a significant extent. Thus, after the stapling maintaining a proper diet becomes easier and coupled with exercise the weight can be kept at the normal level. To know more on stomach stapling read below.
Information On Stomach Stapling
Advantages
- This procedure is very effective in losing weight. So, it is a very good option for people suffering from obesity. For people suffering severe obesity it is the best and perhaps the only life saving option available.
- It is healthier than other weight reduction procedures like liposuction as the weight is lost gradually.
- After this procedure, if regular exercise is done then it you can maintain the target weight.
- It doesn’t lead to the dumping syndrome where the food is passed quickly and undigested through the intestine. So, there is no likelihood of the patient developing any nutrient deficiency as all the nutrients will be absorbed from the food by the intestine properly.
- This is a reversible process as the stapling can be undone if you feel that it is not working or harming you.
- The stapling of the stomach doesn’t lead to any alteration of the digestive system.
- There is significantly less risk of developing serious complications.
Disadvantage
- The stapling reduces the size of the stomach but still there is no 100% guarantee that it will help in losing weight.
- Even with stapling, the stomach will have the capability to expand thus leading you to eat more.
- High fiber foods can cause stomach discomfort.
- Eating the food quickly or less chewing of the food can cause vomiting.
- It might also cause scarring.
- The result is not immediate.
- It requires proper exercise and diet to work.
How Stomach Stapling Works
- Stomach stapling is based on two principles. The first is to reduce the stomach volume and the second is to reduce the length of the bowel that comes in contact with the food.
- The volume of the stomach is reduced by adjustable gastric banding and vertical banded gastroplasty. The length of the bowel is reduced through simple surgery but it is an irreversible process.
- In stomach stapling, a circular band, made of a type of plastic, Silastic, is implanted around the stomach. This plastic does not react with the body tissues or chemicals.
- Then an inflatable tube is inserted into the stomach, which is filled with saline solution to change the size of the stomach. The reservoir, which injects the saline solution, is implanted under the skin. This makes adjustments of the stomach size possible without any additional surgery after the initial surgery.
Complications
- It has a possible risk of gastritis. In severe cases, it can lead to ulcer formation.
- In some cases, the plastic band may migrate through the stomach wall.
- Sometimes the lower stomach may lapse through the band leading to an enlarged upper stomach. Though it is quite rare, if it occurs then it will require an urgent operation to fix it.
- It can also cause internal bleeding and infection.