Stomach Stapling/Gastric Banding

Gastric banding, or stomach stapling, as it is commonly called, surgically reduces the size of the stomach, thereby limiting the quantity of food the individual can eat. Typically, candidates for this type of surgery have to be at high risk for developing other health problems because of their obesity or overweight condition. Yet the statistics for stomach stapling do not seem to outweigh the inherent risks involved. Only 38 percent of those who undergo the surgery lose their excess weight, and of those people who did lose weight, only 50 percent were able to maintain the weight loss three years after the operation. About one-third of the persons who undergo stomach stapling develop gallstones. Persistent vomiting, especially if the person eats too much, is also a possible side effect.

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), reducing the stomach's size can interrupt its function. This could prevent the stomach from properly absorbing food. Also, operating on an organ in this way can damage the corresponding meridians (invisible energy pathways that connect all structures–all organs and tissues–in the body). Aside from the obvious loss of appetite and side effects such as nausea and burping, TCM would recognize another side effect that might not seem connected to stomach stapling. The Spleen/Stomach organ system in TCM theory is related to muscle and fat. Therefore, the organ that controls these tissues is being reduced. One foreseeable side effect could then be muscle pain all over, particularly on the side of the legs where the Stomach meridians run.