Bariatric surgery is a long term treatment for morbid obesity. But in many a cases, it is plagued by the problem of weight regain. Weight regain usually starts within 2-3 years after undergoing surgery and in some cases can be so severe that patient regains almost 50% of the initially shed weight after surgery.
This problem can be tackled by following proper diet and lifestyle measures and can be avoided in the first place by certain measures taken at the time of surgery. One of the technical innovations of today’s times is to place a non adjustable band or ring around the gastric pouch/sleeve at the time of surgery.
This band is loosely fitting at the time of surgery but gradually becomes snug around the pouch with time because of pouch dilation or stretching. This band gives the patient a renewed sense of satiety which was lost after a few months of surgery and helps to regulate food intake.
This prevents dilatation of the gastric pouch/sleeve and this in turn avoids the weight from coming back. The additional cost of the band is compensated by avoiding a revisonal surgery for weight regain later on.