LAPAROSCOPIC ADJUSTABLE GASTRIC BANDING

Severe obesity is a real disease that can cause serious complications. This can be passed on to children and result in poor health, low self-esteem, and difficulty living life to the full.
Established medical treatments have been used for years but they have not been shown to be effective at weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight.
Surgical treatments elaborated for the past fifteen years show now far better results. Three methods can be suggested and the following will describe the easiest of those three and is called ADJUSTABLE GASTRIC BANDING using keyhole surgery (laparoscopically), an operation which is minimally invasive, with no mutilation of the stomach, consisting of reducing the stomach to its necessary volume.

The operation involves the same risks as any other surgical procedure :

- like those of any general anaesthesia
- with additional risk from obesity related secondary diseases : embolism, respiratory problems
- accidents during the operation

This treatment can only be suggested in cases of severe or morbid obesity. This level of obesity occurs when you are at least 50% above your normal weight.(120 instead of 80 Kg.) and is defined by your BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) greater than 40. This index is calculated by dividing the weight in kilogrammes by the height calculated in square metres. For example : If a person weights 117 Kg and is 1m57 tall his BMI is then divided by (1.57 x 1.57 I 117 / 2.46 = 47.
According to this index we find the following categories :

- moderate obesity… if the BMI is between 30 and 35
- severe obesity … between 35 and 40
- massive or morbid obesity … over 40, which means that apart from psychological problems there are other complications like diabetes, joint problems (knees), insomnia , high blood pressure, heart disease.

To qualify for the operation, your BMI must be over 40 (or 35 if you have other medical problems - like those quoted - complicated by being overweight). In France it is essential to meet this criteria for reimbursement by the French National Health Service.