Olympia Bariatric Surgeons

Can I Get Gastric Band Surgery if my BMI is Normal?

I am 5'5" and weigh 59 kilograms (130 pounds) and have an average BMI; however, i am struggling to lose a bit more weight as a result of my ability and desire to eat very large amounts of food.

I would really like the gastric band to normalise my portions, can I get it done at a private clinic and pay for it myself even though my BMI is normal?

Although the gastric band is a very safe procedure there are risks associated with any surgery. The goal of weight loss surgery is to prevent or decrease health issues related to obesity. With a person of a higher BMI the health benefits of weight loss outweigh the risk of the surgery. With a person of a healthy weight such as yourself, the risk of the surgery is greater than the benefit.

William Neal, MD

Olympia Bariatric Surgeon

Gastric Banding Less Invasive?

Is gastric banding less invasive than gastric bypass? What kinds of drawbacks are there to gastric banding? I've heard you can stretch the bands back out if you eat too much.

The Gastric Band is much less invasive than the Gastric Bypass, with the band the anatomy is not changed--no cutting or stapling of the stomach or intestines. It is a purely restrictive procedure, a band is placed around the upper part of the stomach which restricts the amount of food that can be eaten. A benefit of the band is that it can be adjusted--saline can be put in to make the band tighter or looser.

The band is a much safer operation with less complications, although there are some complications related to the band including port problems, dilated stomach pouch, band slippage, and erosion. Most bariatric surgeons offer free informational seminars, I recommend attending one or more to make and informed decision.

William Neal, MD

Olympia Bariatric Surgeon