Since it was approved for use in the United States by the Food and Drink Administration (FDA) in 2001, the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band has become a firm favorite as the safest and least invasive of all forms of weight loss surgery. However, despite its popularity, the gastric band is not suitable for everyone.
The list of contraindications for the use of the gastric band is lengthy, but here are just a few of the more commonly seen reasons for refusing gastric band surgery.
Reason 1. You are suffering from an inflammatory disease or other condition affecting the gastrointestinal tract, such as ulcers or Crohn’s disease, a condition affecting the small intestine and, on occasions, the colon.
Reason 2. You are at risk of developing bleeding within the esophagus or the stomach as the result of such conditions as esophageal or gastric varices (dilated veins).
Reason 3. You are suffering from portal hypertension. Portal hypertension is a condition in which, for example as a result of venous obstruction, pressure builds up in the group of veins which carry blood from the stomach, intestine, spleen and pancreas to the liver.
Reason 4. You are suffering from cirrhosis, a condition resulting in widespread disruption to the normal structure of the liver and caused by a variety of chronic and progressive conditions including long-term alcohol abuse and hepatitis.
Reason 5. You are suffering from chronic pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, which secretes digestive enzymes into the intestine to break down fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
Reason 6. You are undergoing long-term steroid treatment.
Reason 7. You have suffered a gastric injury, such as gastric perforation, as a result of previous surgery and the site of this injury is close to the intended location for gastric band placement.
Reason 8. You have an esophagus, stomach or intestine which, either since birth or subsequently, is abnormal. This might for example include such things as a narrowed opening into the stomach or from the stomach into the intestine.
Reason 9. You are pregnant or are contemplating pregnancy.
Reason 10. You are addicted to drugs or alcohol.
Any one of these reasons, and several others, would rule out the possibility of gastric band surgery but perhaps the most important reason of all for excluding you from surgery would be a lack of motivation. Any form of weight loss surgery can present a host of problems, including considerable problems in adjusting to a new lifestyle following surgery, and your surgeon will normally only permit you to go forward with gastric banding if he is fully satisfied that you have the right motivation.