Are you thinking of going in for laparoscopic gastric band surgery and would like to assess the risks? Like any other surgery, gastric band surgery comes with its own share of risks. In this article we will look at some of the risks that you should be aware of if you want to go ahead with the surgery.

Gastric band risks can be broadly divided into two categories - the risks associated with the surgery itself and the risk of post-operative complications.

The first and most important risk is that of death, which can occur either during or following surgery. In the case of gastric band surgery this risk is extremely low. The second major risk is that of gastric perforation. A tear in the stomach wall can occur during surgery, which will invariably require further surgery to correct the problem.

Other surgical risks are those associated with surgery in general and will include such things as the risk posed by age, excessive weight and the presence of pre-existing conditions and disease. There are also risks associated with medication used during the procedure (including anesthesia) and the method used during surgery.

After the laparoscopic gastric band surgery, a patient may experience post-operative complications such as nausea and vomiting, regurgitation and gastric band slippage. Other commonly occurring problems include poor esophageal function, constipation, diarrhea and difficulty swallowing. There are also some minor complications associated with gastric band surgery that include such things as gastritis, hiatal hernia, dyspepsia, flatulence, dehydration and fever.