Banded Sleeve Surgery | Advance Treatment

Who Is The Right Candidate For Banded Sleeve Surgery?

Deciding on banded sleeve gastrectomy surgery involves a thorough evaluation of your overall health and lifestyle. The ideal candidate for this surgery generally meets the following criteria:

• Severe Obesity: Candidates usually have a BMI of > 40 kg/m², or > 35 kg/m² with obesity-related complications.
• Failed Non-Surgical Weight Loss Attempts: This surgery is considered for individuals who have tried and failed to lose weight through non-surgical methods like diet modification, exercise, and behaviour change programs.
• No Contraindication to Surgery: Candidates must have no medical conditions that would make the surgery excessively risky.

What Are The Benefits Of Banded Sleeve Surgery?

Banded sleeve surgery is a beneficial alternative for those grappling with severe obesity. The banded sleeve surgery benefits include:

• Significant Weight Loss: Banded sleeve surgery tends to result in greater weight loss compared to standard sleeve gastrectomy, especially in the mid-term follow-up.
• Enhanced Satiety: The band fitted around the stomach enhances feelings of fullness, thereby curbing appetite. This enables patients to adhere to dietary restrictions more effectively.
• Reduction in Comorbidities: Many patients witness improvements in obesity-related health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension post-surgery.
• Lower Risk of Stomach Dilatation: The band helps maintain the size of the gastric sleeve, potentially averting weight re-gain due to stomach stretching after regular sleeve gastrectomy.

How To Prepare For Banded Sleeve Surgery?

Preparing for a banded sleeve gastrectomy procedure is an intricate process that involves several steps, such as:

• Medical Evaluation: A comprehensive assessment by a medical team, including a surgeon, nutritionist, and psychologist, is crucial to determining surgery eligibility and readiness.
• Preoperative Diet: Patients may need to follow a specific diet to reduce the liver size and facilitate the surgery. This might include a low-calorie, high-protein diet.
• Lifestyle Changes: Patients are encouraged to adopt healthier eating habits and increase physical activity before surgery to enhance outcomes.
• Preoperative Testing: Blood tests, imaging studies, and other evaluations may be conducted to gauge overall health and pinpoint any potential complications.

What Are The Recovery Tips and Precautions To Follow After Banded Sleeve Surgery?

Recovering from banded sleeve surgery requires careful attention and adherence to a recovery plan. Here are some important steps to follow:

• Follow-Up Appointments: Regular check-ups with the surgical team are crucial to monitor progress and address any issues.
• Dietary Guidelines: Reintroduction of foods is typically gradual, beginning with liquids, progressing to soft foods, and eventually solid foods, as per the surgeon’s instructions.
• Hydration: Staying adequately hydrated is crucial, particularly in the early stages post-surgery.
• Physical Activity: Gradual increase in physical activity as tolerated can aid recovery and promote weight loss.
• Avoiding Strain: Patients should refrain from heavy lifting and strenuous activities for a few weeks post-surgery to allow for healing.

Potential Risks Or Complications Associated With Banded Sleeve Surgery

Despite its benefits, the banded sleeve gastrectomy procedure can carry potential risks. It’s important to be aware of possible complications, including:

• Infection: There is a risk of infection at the incision sites, as with any surgical procedure.
• Leakage: Leaks from the staple line or where the band is placed could occur.
• Band-related Issues: Complications can arise from the band itself, such as slippage or erosion into the stomach wall.
• Nutritional Deficiencies: Long-term deficiencies in vitamins and minerals may occur, necessitating supplementation.
• Weight Regain: Even though the surgery aims to prevent it, some patients may still experience weight regain over time, particularly if lifestyle changes aren’t maintained.

What Is The Cost Of Banded Sleeve Surgery In India?

The cost of undergoing a banded sleeve surgery in India can significantly vary. On average, the surgery might set you back between ₹3 to ₹5 lakhs. The cost of your banded sleeve gastrectomy surgery will depend on several factors:

• Type of Hospital: State-of-the-art hospitals equipped with modern technologies may charge more than standard healthcare facilities due to their advanced capabilities and quality of services.
• Surgeon Expertise: Surgeons with extensive experience and high success rates are likely to charge more for their expertise.
• Patient’s Health Condition: The complexity of the surgery and the length of hospital stay can be influenced by the patient’s health condition and any existing comorbidities.
• Pre- and Post-operative Care: The overall expense includes consultations, diagnostic tests, medications, and support after the operation. Some hospitals offer packages that cover these costs comprehensively.

Is Banded Sleeve Surgery Covered Under Insurance?

In India, health insurance policies do not always cover banded sleeve surgery. However, if the procedure is deemed medically necessary for treating severe obesity and related conditions like type 2 diabetes, some insurance providers may extend coverage.

Insurance coverage typically includes the cost of surgical procedure, hospitalisation expenses, pre-operative and post-operative consultations, medications, and follow-up visits. However, procedures deemed cosmetic or not medically necessary, complications arising from non-compliance with post-operative guidelines, pre-existing conditions undisclosed at the time of policy purchase, and surgeries performed at non-network hospitals or by non-empaneled surgeons may not receive coverage.

The government-sponsored Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (APBJAY) also provides coverage for bariatric surgery, including the banded sleeve gastrectomy procedure. Eligibility for this scheme depends on BMI and the presence of comorbidities like type 2 diabetes.

Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly review your insurance policy’s inclusions and exclusions, and obtain pre-approval from your insurer before undergoing banded sleeve surgery.