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There are a number of different types of weight loss surgery available today including the relatively new procedure of gastric lap banding which is rising in popularity and is rapidly becoming the favored choice for a significant number of morbidly obese individuals. But would you be a suitable candidate for gastric lap banding surgery? In answering this question we will begin by presuming that you are a suitable candidate for weight loss surgery generally and that your only concern therefore is whether or not you should be considering lap banding. In very simple terms this means that you are over 18, are severely overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of over 40 (or in excess of 35 with at least one co-morbid condition) and that you have previously attempted traditional weight loss methods (including possible drug treatment) without success. It is frequently thought that individuals considering weight loss surgery are simply overweight and it is all too easy to forget that people who are severely overweight are more often than not suffering from a variety of other conditions, many of which stem from the fact that they are overweight. It is the presence of these other conditions that frequently constitutes a hurdle when it comes to choosing between different forms of surgery. As gastric lap band surgery is a type of restrictive surgery where the stomach is physically reduced in size to limit the amount of food that can pass through the stomach and digestive system, it follows that this type of surgery is probably not going to be suitable if your esophagus, stomach or intestine are in any way abnormal. Such abnormality might be either congenital or acquired and a common difficulty seen is a narrowing at some point along the digestive tract. Difficulties with the esophagus or stomach which might result in bleeding (such as esophageal or gastric varices � a dilated vein) would also rule out gastric lap band surgery, as will difficulties at the site where the band is to be placed around the stomach, such as an injury, gastric perforation or scarring. Difficulties can also arise if you suffer from any type of inflammation or inflammatory condition in the gastrointestinal tract such as ulcers, esophagitis or Crohn's disease. Finally, gastric lap band surgery is not suitable for pregnant women or where pregnancy is being contemplated. Should pregnancy occur following gastric lap band surgery it is possible to deflate the band to allow for the higher nutritional requirement however, where deflating the band is not sufficient, the band may have to be removed. One benefit of gastric band surgery is that the operation is reversible and, if it proves necessary, the band can be removed returning the stomach to its original state. However, this can also be a disadvantage of the system. Motivation is key to any type of weight loss surgery but is a particular issue in the case of gastric lap band surgery. If you have any doubt about how determined you are to succeed then this type of surgery might not be a suitable choice for you.
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