ADVANTAGES:
Along with successful weight loss, gastric banding can help with related weight comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes and sleep apnoea. Generally, people that receive gastric banding lose around 35% to 45% of their excess weight and achieve long-term weight loss. If needs be, the surgery can also be reversed at any time add the stomach usually returns to its “normal” size afterwards. Unlike other gastric surgeries, gastric banding does not interfere with the person’s food absorption and makes complications such as vitamin deficiency uncommon, and is safer than many other forms of weight loss surgery. It also does not involve stapling the person’s stomach, bypassing part of their intestine or even removing parts of their stomach. AS this is a relatively quick surgery it does also meanin that they would only spend around one night in hospital and would have a rather speedy recovery time

DISADVANTAGES:
In some cases, it is found that the gastric band can erode through the stomach and would need to be removed, similarly the stomach can slip through the band due to reasons such as ignoring the rules of eating and signs of fullness are not followed, and the patient would require immediate surgery. As the pouch can only hold limited food, the patient could experience vomiting from eating more than the pouch can hold. Re-operation may be necessary if an infection develops within the port area (in the abdomen) and can also affect the band. Another problem that could occur is leakage, the gastric balloon is made of a very fragile material and if too much fluid is injected into the band, leakage could occur – this can also happen through the connecting tube. One of the main disadvantages that can occur from rapid weight loss from using the gastric band is excessive skin, this can become a problem as rashes or other skin condition could develop under the fold, and is typically aesthetically unpleasing to the patient. Although uncommon, the patient could also acquire nutrient deficiency as they are reducing the amount of food that they are consuming, resulting in an imbalanced diet and need for multivitamin supplements.
Although the gastric banding should help with the patients “feeling of fullness” it does not change their mind set towards food and what foods they consume, and they could start developing dysfunctional eating patterns (unbalanced diet). This could mean, as mentioned before, they develop nutritional deficiencies, and worst case scenario, the gastric band surgery could become futile and could see them return to their previous state of health or weight. Many people believe this will help them digest food a lot quicker, but the surgery does not alter the person’s metabolism it only restricts the capacity of the stomach. This means that patients are not experiencing a shift in their food preferences, “away from sugary or fatty foods”.Part F: Should the cost of gastric banding be covered by Medicare?

There has been a massive debate throughout the years over whether or not Gastric Band surger