How does the surgeon perform a gastric band adjustment?
A gastric band adjustment is performed with a special “non-coring” needle, designed to access the port without damage to the diaphragm of the port. Sometimes you will lie down for the adjustment, sometimes the surgeon will ask you to stand. The surgeon will find the port and steady it between his/her fingers. The needle will be passed through the skin, into the port and usually the position is confirmed by drawing back fluid from the gastric band itself. The correct amount of extra fluid will then be added, if you are having a fill of the band.
Most people have little or no discomfort from the adjustment. Sometimes the port can be difficult to locate or may have been placed under the muscles of the abdominal wall. In these cases there may be a bit more discomfort than normal. In some cases the surgeon may send the patient to the xray department for accurate location of the port for adjustment.
