Gastric Banding
Risks and Complications
Surgery should not be considered until you and your doctor have evaluated all other options. As with all surgeries, there are risks associated with these procedures. Credit Valley Hospital has an excellent track record for safety with complication rates that are well below the national average. Nevertheless, it is important that you are aware for the following risks of the gastric banding procedure:
- Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolus: This is a rare but dangerous complication. A blood clot could form in your leg or in your pelvic veins and could travel to your lungs, endangering your life. You will be given anticoagulant preoperatively to minimize this risk.
- Heart Problems: Severe cardiac problems can occur. This office has made every effort to assess your cardiac condition prior to the surgical procedure.
- Lung Problems: Respiratory insufficiency or problems may occur after the surgery necessitating the use of a ventilator. This potentially would lengthen your hospital stay and your recovery.
- Injuries to other Intra-abdominal organs: As with all surgical procedures, injuries to other intra-abdominal organs can occur. Your surgeon will attend to them as needed. *Removal of the spleen is necessary in about 0.3% of patients to control operative bleeding.
- Bleeding: Bleeding may occur during the procedure or in the early post-operative period. You may require the transfusion of blood products as needed. Your surgeon has explained the risks of such transfusions.
- Infections: either at incision sites or within the abdominal cavity could require further procedures or possible need for another operation.
- Slipped Band: Occasionally the band may slide out or a small portion of the stomach can "slide" underneath the Gastric Band. Patients usually complain of difficulty swallowing or will vomit soon after eating or drinking. The diagnosis is made with X-ray studies. An operation is required to remedy the problem. Slipped bands usually occur at least one year after surgery.
- Port mal-position: If the port becomes dislodged from the abdominal wall, a minor procedure is required to reposition the port.
- Band Erosion: In the past the gastric band has been documented to erode into the stomach in a very small number of patients over a long period of time. Now, this is exceedingly rare as a result of design changes made to the gastric band as well as a change in the surgical technique used to place the band.
- Band infection: As with all foreign material or implants, the band, the connecting tube and the port can become infected by contamination via other intra-abdominal infection such as perforated appendicitis, diverticulitis, perforated ulcers etc. If the band is infected, the band has to be removed by an operation.
- Mechanical Failure: In the case of mechanical failure, the device can become ineffective and will need to be replaced. Band replacement requires a second operation.
- Hair Loss: Some patients report some form of temporary hair loss during the first 6 months, which is believed to be due to a reduced and insufficient post-operative intake of protein. Again, patients need to follow post-operative instructions meticulously. This is usually transient and does not lead to permanent baldness. Normal hair growth will eventually return.
- Vomiting: Most patients will once or twice feel pain or vomit after intake of food. In most cases, it is caused by eating too much and too fast. If eating is slow and calm, patients will learn to listen to the signals from the stomach. Regular and persistent vomiting is a sign of warning. This can either be caused by incorrect eating behavior or by the outflow of the gastric pouch becoming too narrow. This means that the band may need to be adjusted. Call your doctor immediately.
- Constipation: Many patients feel constipated after surgery. This is mainly caused by the fact that the reduced food intake leads to less feces and it is thus normal with fewer bowel movements. If laxatives become necessary, it is advisable to abstain from so called bulking agents and instead use liquid laxatives, such as Lactulose.