| Bariatric Surgery.info Stomach Stapling (Vertical Banded Gastroplasty) Operation |
Gastric stapling surgeries like vertical
band gastroplasty |
Stomach Stapling Procedure (Vertical Banded Gastroplasty)Stomach stapling, also called gastric stapling or vertical banded gastroplasty, is one type of restrictive surgery (the other being gastric banding) for the treatment of morbid or malignant obesity. The idea of this surgical procedure is to severely restrict the patient's capacity to eat foods, reduce calorie intake and induce significant weight reduction. There is no bypass, or interference with normal digestion or absorption of foods. Instead the surgeon uses staples to create a small stomach pouch and a gastric band to limit the size of the opening (stoma) between the pouch and the rest of the stomach. Stomach Stapling OperationVertical banded gastroplasty is performed under general anesthesia and the operation lasts about 60 minutes. The bariatric surgeon makes an incision between breast-bone and navel, then uses a surgical stapler to create an upper-stomach pouch about the size of a small egg. A polypropylene band is then inserted to control the size of the pouch exit to the lower part of the stomach and prevent stretching. How Stomach Stapling WorksVertical banded gastroplasty severely limits the amount of food the patient can eat at one time. The stomach pouch holds only about one tablespoon of solid food, after which the patient is full. However, in practice, this type of restrictive surgery requires strict patient compliance with post-operative dietary guidelines, otherwise the weight loss effect is severely reduced. In a way, stomach stapling falls between gastric banding and gastric bypass. It is not as flexible as lap band, but not as effective in producing weight reduction as stomach bypass. As a result, vertical banded gastroplasty is becoming less popular. See also: ------------------------------------------------ Gastric Bypass Bariatric Information |