Adjustable Gastric Banding in Sharjah

What is adjustable gastric banding?

Adjustable gastric banding is an operation that fits a soft silicone band around the uppermost part of the stomach, like a belt. The band has an inflatable inner lining connected by thin tubing to a small access port fixed under the skin of the abdomen. Adding or removing saline through the port tightens or loosens the band, which controls how quickly food passes from the small pouch above it into the rest of the stomach.

What sets the band apart from the other operations on the bariatric surgery overview page is that the stomach and intestine stay whole. Nothing is removed, divided or rerouted, so the band is fully removable and the stomach returns to its original shape once the band comes out. The band works by restriction and a feeling of early fullness alone, with no change to how food is absorbed.

At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, gastric bands are placed, adjusted and, when needed, removed by the general and laparoscopic surgery team.

Who needs it

A gastric band is considered for adults who meet the general BMI criteria for weight-loss surgery, usually a BMI of 40 or above, or 35 or above with a weight-related illness, and who prefer an operation that leaves the stomach intact and can be undone. It suits people who can commit to regular adjustment visits, especially in the first year or two, and who are prepared to change the way they eat, chewing slowly and stopping at the first sign of fullness.

Surgeons today recommend the band less often than the sleeve or bypass, and a careful discussion of the alternatives is part of the consultation. The surgeon looks at your BMI, your eating pattern, any reflux or swallowing problems, and how easily you can attend follow-up. Many people with an existing band come for a review instead, because the band has slipped, become uncomfortable or stopped helping. That route, removing the band and often converting to another operation, is covered on the mini gastric bypass and revision surgery page.

What happens

Band placement is performed under general anaesthesia through a few small keyhole cuts. The surgeon makes a short tunnel behind the top of the stomach, passes the band around it and locks it closed. A fold of stomach is often stitched over the band to hold it in position. The tubing is led out to the port, which is fixed onto the firm layer of the abdominal wall just under the skin.

The band is left empty at first so the stomach can settle around it. Adjustments begin at follow-up visits some weeks later: a fine needle passes through the skin into the port and a small amount of saline is added or withdrawn. Adjustments are sometimes done under X-ray with a swallow of contrast, a form of contrast study, so the team can watch food pass through the band.

Preparing for it

A dietitian at Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah meets you before surgery to teach the eating style a band depends on: small bites, thorough chewing, meals taken slowly, and drinks kept separate from food. A psychological evaluation is arranged as part of your care pathway, along with blood tests and an anaesthetic review.

A short low-calorie diet before surgery may be advised to reduce the size of the liver. Bring a list of your medicines, since large tablets can be hard to swallow with a band and may need changing to liquid or smaller forms. Plan to live within reach of Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah for the first year of adjustments, and tell the team about travel or work rotations in advance.

Afterwards

The first weeks follow a staged diet from fluids to soft food. Once adjustments begin, the aim is a comfortable level of restriction: satisfied after a small meal and able to eat solid food. Soft white bread, dry meat and sticky rice are common foods to take slowly, because they can lodge above the band. Stopping at the first feeling of pressure in the chest keeps the pouch comfortable.

A daily multivitamin is recommended, with blood tests at follow-up. The band can be loosened if you are pregnant, unwell or travelling, and many surgeons loosen it before Ramadan so that larger Suhoor and Iftar meals and long fasting hours sit more comfortably. Keep the port site clean and dry in the Sharjah heat while the wound heals.

Contact the hospital urgently if you have pain, redness or swelling over the port, or a fever. **Go to the emergency department straight away if you are unable to swallow even water or saliva, or have severe, persistent upper abdominal pain or repeated vomiting, since this can mean the band has slipped.**

Cost and insurance

Gastric banding needs insurance pre-approval, and many UAE plans exclude weight-loss surgery; some cover it under specific criteria such as documented BMI, weight-related illness and supervised weight management. Adjustments, and band removal for a complication, may be assessed separately from the original operation. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm what your plan covers on 06 599 7777.