Side-effects are an unwanted by product of the Gastric Banding Surgery but are generally temporary effects of the Surgery, afterwards you are likely to have bruising, pain and swelling around the wounds left behind from the surgery.

You may feel or be sick after eating, especially if you try to eat too much. Your restricted diet may cause some shortage of nutrients so you may consider taking multivitamin tablet as a supplement.

Complications caused from Gastric Banding occur during or after the surgery, but most people are not affected. Some possible complications of Gastric Banding Surgery include a reaction to the anaesthesia or excessive bleeding during or soon after surgery for this case a  blood transfusion may be required.

Some of the specific gastric banding complications:

* Wound infection. Antibiotics are given during surgery to help prevent this.
* For up to six weeks after the operation, it is possible to develop a blood clot (DVT) in the veins in the leg. This clot can break off and cause a blockage in the lungs. In most cases this is treatable, but it can be a life-threatening condition. Compression stockings, intermittent compression pumps and blood-thinning injections are used to help prevent DVT.
* There is a risk that during the operation other organs in the abdomen may be accidentally damaged.
* There is a risk that the gastric band may slip out of place, break or erode through the stomach wall. This may require further surgery or removal of the gastric band.
* It is possible you may fail to lose sufficient weight or regain weight, and some patients have further weight loss surgery.
* If you lose weight rapidly, there is a risk of developing gallstones in your gallbladder. These can be painful. Your surgeon may remove your gallbladder during surgery.

Before any surgery you should ask your surgeon to explain how these risks apply to you. The exact risks will differ for every person.

What is Gastric Banding?

Gastric banding is a surgical procedure that involves fitting a band around the upper part of your stomach, which will only be recommended as a fnal resort for people who are morbidly obese i.e. people with a BMI of over 40.

Gastric Banding can also be given if others that have a serious health risk, such as diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), or heart disease and a BMI of between 30 to 40.

If you are very obese, gastric banding Surgery can be used as a way of helping you to lose weight by controlling the amount of food that you eat.

How does gastric banding work?

Once you have completed the surgery, the gastric band can be adjusted outside the body at any time by a surgeon. This means the gastric band can be adjusted tighter or looser, depending on the amount of food your surgeon wants to restrict you from eating.

Your surgeon can adjust the gastric band tighter by simply adding salt water (saline) into the band. This will slow down the amount of food that can pass through your stomach – meaning your will feel full longer. The opposite direction is to loosen the band, some of the salt water fluid is removed and allows food to pass through quicker to your digestive system. Generally, a gastric band is loose to start and then tightened when you are used to eating less food.

A gastric banding is designed to remain permanently within your stomach, but it can be removed, and in the majority of cases leaves you with no permanent changes to your stomach once removed. The Gastric Banding procedure involves a certain degree of complication, for example there is a risk of infection, and in rare cases, leaking into your stomach may occur.