BMH Services


Gastric Banding Surgery

In the past, obesity has been seen as a weakness or an individual’s failure. Diet and exercise were the only prescribed treatments, and weight loss surgery was viewed as dangerous and extreme. Now, obesity is recognized as a disease and the cause of many serious health conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, and sleep disorders. Weight loss surgery is now accepted as a proven method to treat this disease.

When Dieting Isn’t Enough

Seriously overweight patients who have never been able to keep pounds off with diet pills, special meals, or other weight loss programs now have a safe, effective, and minimally invasive surgical option that significantly reduces food intake. This surgery is called laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. The gastric band creates an earlier feeling of fullness and limits food consumption. It is the only minimally invasive surgical option that is adjustable and reversible. It is placed laparoscopically in the body without cutting or stapling the stomach, and no gastrointestinal rerouting or bypassing is involved.

With this surgery, a silicone band is placed around the upper part of the stomach. A small pouch is created, allowing the stomach to hold less food and making the recipient feel full very fast.

The goal of the gastric band is to improve your health, quality of life, and lifespan.

Program Tailored to the Patient

Adjustability is the most important attribute of the gastric band. The hollow silicone band around the stomach is filled with saline solution. By adding or removing saline, the band can be made tighter or looser to suit the patient’s individual weight loss needs. If a patient is experiencing insufficient weight loss or is able to eat too much food without feeling full, saline is added to the gastric band to make the opening smaller. If a patient is losing too much weight or feeling full too fast, saline is taken out of the band, making the hole larger and allowing more food to pass through the stomach.

A patient with a well-adjusted gastric band can expect to lose between one and two pounds each week. Patients can eat solid foods and will have no limitations with liquids.

The laparoscopic surgery takes one to two hours and may require an overnight hospital stay. Normally, a patient is able to return to work in a week and is evaluated every six to eight weeks during the first year.

Benefits of the Gastric Band

Bingham Memorial’s Gastric Banding program follows the guidelines established by the American Society of Bariatric Surgery in order to assist in your weight loss success. When you participate in Bingham Memorial’s Gastric Banding program you will receive the following:

  • Free Seminar
  • Progress Photos
  • Pre-op Doctor Appointment
  • Dietary Assistance
  • Physical Therapy Consult
  • Pre-op Lab Tests
  • Pre-op X-Ray Tests
  • Behavioral Health Consult
  • Three Month Membership to Gold’s Gym (including a personal trainer option during your membership time)
  • Support Group
  • One Year of Physician Follow up Appointments and Band Adjustments
  • Free Massage of Lower Extremities After Surgery

Free Seminar

Attend one of our free gastric banding seminars. The Bariatric Team, along with former weight loss surgery patients, will be on-hand to explain the program and answer all your questions. Seminars are held twice a month at the hospital. To reserve a seat for you and a guest, call 782-3993 today!

Gastric Band Procedure Internet Resources

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