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First Gastric Band Surgery Performed in Makkah Using New Technology

28 February 2022

The Obesity Clinic of Makkah Al-Mukarramah Health Complex has received 3,068 patients, and performed 307 surgeries. The number of inpatients in the hospitalization departments was estimated to be 382 last year.

The Complex said that a specialized medical team at Al-Noor Specialist Hospital was able to perform the first vertical gastric banding surgery using the latest weight loss technology. This surgery is the first of its kind to be performed in a MOH hospital, using a new device authorized by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA). The Obesity Center in the hospital has performed over 400 diverse surgeries, using the latest technologies. Being one of the most common health issues in the world, obesity affects a large number of people in the Kingdom.

After a vertical gastric band surgery, patients are usually discharged from the hospital within 24 hours. The band is prepared and installed in a patient's body through 4 small holes in their abdominal wall, with a diameter of 5-12 mm. The band is then inserted through one of these holes, placed around the stomach, and fixed.

Noteworthy, only patients with class 1 and class 2 obesity are eligible for this procedure. They often do not require a gastric bypass or stapling procedure. Moreover, the duration of the surgery is no longer than one hour. The band is also removable, and the results of this operation are remarkable, compared to the gastric plication or the intragastric balloon procedures.