Gastric Banding - How does it work?

The gastric band is placed around the upper part of the stomach using keyhole surgery, to create a small pouch above the band.

The effect is to:

• Allow only a small amount of food to be held by the stomach at any one time, and
• Slow down the passage of food from the small pouch to the rest of the digestive tract.

Gastric banding allows the patient to:

• Feel comfortably full after a small amount of food
• Continue to feel full for longer
• Reduce the urge to have large helpings and to eat between meals.

Food is no longer the focus it once was. You are in-control of your eating, rather than eating controlling you.