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The first of the teenage boys underwent the surgery in 2006 and the second had the operation last year. Obesity experts said the operations illustrated Britain's failure to come to terms with the problem.

Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, said the surgery, which was believed to have been carried out on the NHS at Sheffield Children's Hospital in South Yorkshire, would have been a ''last resort'' after the boys' weight became life-threatening. ...

Mr Fry said National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) guidelines stated that such surgery for children should only be carried out in ''really extreme'' cases.

''It is something which is certainly not desirable but in some instances where life is threatened by the size of the child then this kind of surgery is appropriate,'' he said.

''Clearly, if it was life-threatening then that's what the doctors thought would be necessary. It is absolutely a last resort.''

Labels: obese teens, gastric band

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

The continued growth of American teenage waistlines has both parents and professionals willing to consider every possible option for healthy teen weight loss. One option that has been successful with adults, but isn’t yet approved for teens, is gastric band surgery. But some worry that the risks are greater than the benefits.

The company [Allergan] has an application in with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration seeking approval to market the device to teens as young as 14. A decision could come any time. Winning regulatory approval for the gastric band in teenagers would allow companies that make the devices – Allergan, Johnson & Johnson and others – to target that specific age group.

Today, regulators consider performing the procedure on the teens ‘experimental’ [Source: Reuters]

Teens can still undergo gastric band surgery, with written consent from a doctor, but if the FDA approves Allergan’s request, the surgery will be available to teens with or without physician approval.

Labels: gastric band, teenagers, surgeries

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 1 Comment

A recent study by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles found that obese teens who are given a choice between gastric bands and gastric bypass surgery prefer the bands. However, the procedure is relatively new among young people, and its safety is still in question.

“Gastric band surgery may appeal to teens because of an intense marketing campaign by manufacturers, the researchers wrote. The adjustability and possible reversibility may also appeal to young people… Insurance concerns may also drive surgery choices: Those who were paying for their own procedures were more likely to get gastric band surgery (it’s less expensive).” - Source: Live Science

Because of the uncertainties about both the safety and efficacy of gastric band surgery in teenagers, the procedure hasn’t been approved by the FDA for use in young people. Exceptions can be made, but researchers emphasized that gastric surgery of any kind should be a last resort for obese teens who have tried diet and exercise but haven’t been able to lose weight.

Labels: gastric band, teens, surgeries

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 2 Comments