Long-term weight loss that will change your life

Bluewater Sugrical is now offering Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding. The Gastric Band System is a safe and effective solution for obesity.

If you are seriously overweight and diets and exercise simply aren’t working for you, a Gastric Band can help. The minimally invasive procedure involves placing an adjustable band around your stomach to make it smaller, so you eat less, safely lose weight and keep it off.

Losing weight with the Gastric Band can improve your health, reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, hypertension and other serious conditions, and significantly improve your quality of life. It’s a proven, reliable procedure that has helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world lead healthier, happier lives.

We care about your health and comfort

At Bluewater Sugical, we understand that obesity is not the result of a lack of willpower: it’s a disease that requires treatment combined with compassionate care. Our integrated approach for the treatment of obesity combines a thorough assessment, the Gastric Band procedure, and a comprehensive aftercare program. Our highly-qualified doctors and dedicated staff will never be critical or judgmental. They will do their best to make you feel comfortable, and will treat you with the utmost care and respect throughout the process.

How the Gastric Band works

The Gastric Band helps you lose weight and keep it off by limiting food intake, reducing appetite and slowing digestion.
During the procedure, the surgeon places an inflatable silicone ring around the upper part of your stomach. The newly created small upper stomach pouch limits the amount of food you can eat, and the narrowed stomach outlet increases the time it takes for your stomach to digest the food and empty. You feel full sooner, and stay full longer.

The band is adjustable, so it keeps your stomach the exact size you need to lose the optimum amount of weight at a healthy rate. An access port beneath your skin allows the surgeon to adjust the tightness of the band as needed by adding or removing saline.

Advantages of the Gastric Band

It works. A recent article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal recommends weight loss surgery as an acceptable option for individuals for whom all other conventional weight loss methods have failed. The Gastric Band is an excellent option for effective long-term weight loss. To date, there have been more than 300,000 Gastric Band procedures performed worldwide.

Minimal trauma. The Gastric Band is the least invasive surgical option for weight loss. There’s no cutting or stapling of the stomach wall or bowel, and the laparoscopic technique means less pain, a shorter recovery time and minimal scarring.

Adjustability. Tightening or loosening the band ensures the right degree of restriction to achieve healthy, long-term weight loss. Should you become pregnant or ill, the band can be loosened to accommodate your nutritional requirements, then tightened again after you’ve given birth or recovered from your illness so you can easily get back on the road to weight loss.

Reversibility. Although the band is intended to be permanent, it can be removed if needed, and your stomach will return to its original form and function.

Fewer risks. When compared to other obesity surgeries like gastric bypass or vertical banded gastroplasty, there is a much lower risk of complication and nutritional deficiencies.

Aftercare

After surgery you must undergo regular check-ups as an outpatient. Initially, these check-ups will be carried out monthly, but soon visits will become less frequent. The Gastric Band will gradually be filled via the injection port during the first 18 months following surgery. During this period, your weight loss and level of well-being will be monitored. Once your weight has stabilized, check-ups will be necessary on an annual basis.

By nature, the Gastric Band will cause you to eat less, feel less hunger and gradually lose your excess weight. This will lead to a healthier liefe style with less risk of obesity-related secondary diseases. However you will be encouraged to change your overall eating habits and begin a physician approved exercise program to receive lasting weight loss.

Potential risks, complications and adverse events

All surgeries carry the possibility of risks and complications, most commonly bleeding and infection. Obese patients are also at higher risk during surgery. Your surgeon will discuss those risks with you as part of your assessment.
During the procedure, there is a very small potential for injury of the stomach, esophagus, liver or spleen or major blood loss. Rarely, this may require that the surgeons move from laparoscopic surgery to the conventional open approach. Heart, liver or kidney disease can increase the risks of the surgery. Death is always a risk of any surgery.

Gastric Band specific risks and complications

A number of recent studies agree that the Gastric Band procedure is the safest surgical option for treating obesity. Complications are usually not serious, though some may require hospitalization and additional surgery.
Potential complications from Gastric Band System surgery may include band slippage (occurs in 1-2% of patients) or band erosion (occurs in less than 1 in 1000 patients). Very rarely, they may include port site pain or displacement and leakage of the reservoir, tubing or band. After surgery, if you have any complications or painful symptoms, please tell your doctor right away.

Am I a candidate for Gastric Band surgery?

The Gastric Band is designed for people who are seriously overweight and have tried many times to lose weight without long-term success. It is not for someone looking to lose 20 or 30 pounds. If you are under BMI 35 and want to loose weight then you may need a gastric balloon. In this situation an alternate procedure called gastric Balloon may be an alternative. If you are interested in this please click here.

Before we proceed with Gastric Bypass surgery, we will do a thorough assessment to see if you are a good candidate for the procedure.

You may be eligible for the Gastric Band procedure if:

You are at least 21 years of age.
Your BMI is 35 or more, or you are at least 100 pounds overweight.
You have weight-related health problems (co-morbidities).
You have been overweight for over five years.
You have seriously attempted weight loss, but it has resulted only in short-term success.
You are not suffering from a disease that has caused you to be seriously overweight.
You are prepared to make significant changes to your eating habits and lifestyle.
You are willing to be monitored by us on a long-term basis.
You do not drink alcohol in excess.