FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does the Le Goff Technique surgery involve (GPSP)?
This is gastric band surgery with 5 technical aspects:
• Retrogastric dissection (the band is better held back).
• Partial plicature of the stomach reducing the size of the stomach leading to effacement of the greater tuberosity like in sleeve surgery but without real ablation of the stomach. This is a virtual ablation.
• Reduction of the size of the stomach under the band due to partial plication of the stomach.
• Stimulation by the gastric valve, which fixes the band, of the hunger centres in the lower oesophagus.
• Fat and the nerve endings from the left vagus nerve are removed, leading to reduction in the evacuation of the stomach under the band.
These 5 technical aspects increase the efficiency of the Le Goff Technique (GPSP). All this means that patients are not as hungry or even not hungry at all, and that weight loss will be hugely facilitated.
How much weight loss can I expected in the first year?
It will be considerable if you follow our recommendations and advice: nutritional advice, possible psychological treatment, resumption of sport (exercise bike, swimming, aquagym, aquabike).
Statistically on average, of nearly 800 patients operated, 60 to 70 % of excess weight is lost in the first year. This weight loss will continue to rapidly reach 100% of excess weight loss for the most motivated patients.
When is the band inflated, and how?
Inflation is necessary for about 90% of patients. Only 10% of them will lose all their excess weight without the need to inflate the band using in the Le Goff Technique (GPSP).
Thus, for most patients, the band will never be inflated before 4 to 6 weeks after the surgical procedure so that it is as solid as possible (some patients have had the same montage, band and unit, for 19 years).
The band is inflated by the surgeon under local anaesthetic through the skin (the band unit is injected deeply through the skin), in radiology with a barium swallow, used to check the passage of liquid through the band. The adjustment takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
What complications can be encountered with the Le Goff Technique (GPSP)?
The two serious complications that can be encountered are rare and entirely avoidable. They are gastric dilatation above the band and erosion of the stomach by the band.
These two exceptional complications are linked to the fact that the patients vomit several times a day (three, four times). Most patients do not vomit or do so only exceptionally, once to three times a week, which poses no problem.
With the Le Goff Technique (GPSP), gastric dilatation represents 13 cases in 794 evaluated over a period of 19 years, or less than 0.2%. This figure should be compared to 30% dilatation when the band is not fixed.
With the Le Goff Technique, gastric erosion represents 8 cases in 794, or 0.1%, a very low rate compared to high gastric erosion figures for gastric bands that are not fixed. This is linked to the fact that the patient vomits several times a day even when full. Constant vomiting leads to weakening of the stomach walls and the band finishes by appearing inside the stomach without the patient realising. The patient only notices that the band is no longer effective.