Stomach Banding successful in lowering weight and reverses diabetes.
The Journal of the American Medical Association reports a study from Australia reported that 73 percent of those who had the surgery reversed their diabetes while 13% of those treated with diet and exercise had their diabetes controlled. Many even stopped their diabetes meds.
After 2 years the surgery group had lost an average of 21.1 kg. (46 lb.), the diet-exercise group lost only 1.5kg. (3 lb.)
Weight loss seems to be the key to the reversal of diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is the type that does not necessarily need insulin injections. These patients have some insulin but not enough to control a person of that weight (BMI). Traditionally this has been treated first with diet and exercise, then with diabetic meds. if simple measures fail.
Severe type 2 diabetes is associated with serious illness and death when combines with other cardiac risk factors. (Metabolic Syndrome).
Gastric banding falls into the group of surgeries used for the treatment of obesity. In gastric banding a band is tied around the upper stomach, leaving a small hole for food to pass through slowly. Food fills the small part of the stomach above the band and makes the patient feel full.
Gastric banding is done laparoscopically, through small incisions instead of through larger incisions as is needed for some gastric bypass surgeries. As a less invasive procedure it has few side effects and complications.
