Did my band slip?

After gastric banding, a very small percentage of patients will have a band slip, sometimes referred to as gastric prolapse. A band slip is when some of the stomach that was below the band is pulled above the band (see below). This leads to bunching of the stomach by the band, and partial obstruction to food and liquids.

The symptoms of a band slip are not subtle! Patients may have daily heartburn, difficulty swallowing, and/or frequent, unexpected vomiting. The enlarged pouch above the band will sometimes allow for larger portions at first, and the symptoms are delayed. With a true band slip the symptoms will usually become worse with time, even after all of the fluid has been removed.

So, how is a band slip prevented? Well, the majority of band slips occur in patients who suffer frequent vomiting from keeping the band too tight, and those who are in the habit of frequent binge eating. Please see my blog entitled, “Is my band too tight?”