Facts and figures of gastric surgery

Published on Sunday 26 September 2010 16:06

HUNDREDS of weight loss operations have been carried out on obese people in Scotland in the last two years, according to the latest figures.

Between 2008 and 2010 more than 460 people had "bariatric surgery" which reduces stomach size.

This includes implanting a gastric band which reduces the size of a person's stomach so they can only eat small meals, or through removal of a portion of the stomach called a "sleeve gastrectomy".

Both operations are last-ditch attempts to reduce weight if diet, exercise and medicines have not worked.

NHS Grampian said 89 bariatric surgery procedures were carried out on patients aged 18 and older between 1 January 2008 and 31 March this year while NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said 198 patients aged 22 and older were discharged after bariatric surgery since 2008, including 92 who had gastric bands. NHS Ayrshire and Arran said 68 patients had bariatric surgery since 2008 with NHS Lanarkshire carrying out 24 gastric banding procedures since 2008 and NHS Lothian performing 70 bariatric surgeries.

Tam Fry, from the National Obesity Forum, suggested that bariatric patients should pay if they needed further surgery as a result of "indulging themselves". He said: "The NHS is not an open-ended cheque book.

"You have a bariatric procedure once then you behave."