Stomach banding surgery can provide a way out for people struggling with severe obesity.The surgery can be an option for severely obese people who haven't been able to lose weight through diet and exercise alone. However, there are some potential complications to consider.
Identification
When a person has stomach banding surgery, an alternative to stomach stapling, her doctor uses a band to separate a small portion of the upper stomach from the rest of the stomach, forming a little pouch. Since the pouch is small, it helps to limit the amount of food a person can comfortably consume in one sitting and makes him feel full faster than normal. The band device is inserted into a person's body through an incision in the abdomen.
Misconceptions
Some people believe stomach banding surgery carries only minor risks, as it may not sound as frightening as stomach stapling. According to the Mayo Clinic, it does carry a lower risk of complications than other types of gastric bypass surgery. However, stomach banding is considered a major surgery and can cause serious complications, including death.
Features
One potential risk with stomach banding is gastric perforation. It is possible that the stomach could be torn during surgery. If this happens, another surgical procedure will probably be necessary to fix it. There is also a risk of internal or incision infection with this surgery. Other risks include such things as blood clots, band slippage, uncontrollable bleeding and incision hernias--weaknesses in the incision.
Effects
Some of the potential complications of stomach banding are present after the surgery has already taken place. For example, it is necessary to consume smaller amounts of food following this type of surgery. If a person overeats, he may experience stomach pains and even vomiting. A person may also experience less-than-optimal weight loss if he fails to follow his doctor's recommendations in terms of limiting the amount of food and drink he consumes at one time.
Considerations
Sometimes a person will experience nutritional deficiencies as a complication of stomach banding surgery. This may be because of the fact that she can only consume a small amount of food at one sitting. To avoid the problems caused by such deficiencies, a person may choose to take supplements recommended by her doctor. Dehydration and low blood sugar may also develop as a result of changes in food intake and nutrient absorption.
Potential
Dumping syndrome can be a complication of stomach banding as well as other types of surgery for obesity. With this condition, food moves too rapidly through the stomach and into the small intestine. This can lead to symptoms of stomach upset, such as nausea and vomiting. A person with this condition may also experience dizziness, profuse sweating and diarrhea. Often, dumping syndrome occurs in response to eating foods that are high in fat or contain a lot of sugar.
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