A new weight loss surgery service is to be provided privately by Spire Gatwick Park Hospital and will be a major step forward for the treatment of morbid obesity in the counties.
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Currently there is only limited access to weight-loss surgery in the area, and recent statistics show that nearly one in 4 people is obese, and this is on the increase. There is also an increase in those who are severely over weight, whose target weight loss is more than 4-5 stone.
That situation should now be eased. Gastric band operations will be available at Spire Gatwick Park Hospital as part of a comprehensive service that will include assessment, support and counselling. A dedicated team of doctors, nurses, dieticians and psychotherapists will be part of the consultation process before and after any operation.
As waistlines increase the reality is that for those people who are morbidly obese the health implications are very serious, with an increased risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Other problems can include knee and joint problems, infertility and hypertension, but also may lead to low self-esteem and depression.
Weight loss surgery can be a successful way of treating patients who have failed to lose weight by any other method. While not a ‘quick fix’, it is an operation that can offer hope of a better, longer and healthier life, and has been approved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
Mr James Smellie, consultant surgeon at Spire Gatwick Park Hospital, firmly believes that the launch of this service for patients will not only be life changing but also life saving.
The surgery involves placing an adjustable gastric band around the upper part of the stomach, which restricts how much food the stomach can hold. There is no cutting or stapling needed to divide the upper stomach pouch from the lower stomach.
The insertion of the gastric band is usually performed using keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery. The band limits the amount of food you can eat before feeling full, enabling you to lose weight quickly and painlessly. It also trains you to limit your portion size to manageable amounts, and because you have to eat more slowly, to be aware of the food you are eating.
What makes the device so unique is that it can be adjusted without the need for further surgery. By adjusting the amount of fluid in the band, one can control the amount of food eaten and the rate at which it passes through the upper gastric pouch into the lower part of the stomach.
For further information on gastric banding and an information pack, or to attend one of our information evenings, please contact our customer services advisers on 01293 778 906.