Gastric Band Does Not Have Same Effect on Men, Women

Obesity is a condition that causes many health issues including high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.

Gastric band surgery - a process in which an adjustable silicon band is wrapped around the top section of the stomach - is one of many ways to treat obesity.

Worldwide, an estimated 400 million people are obese. The United States ranks as one of the most obese countries in the world, with 26.6 percent of the population considered obese as of 2007. As the prevalence of obesity continues to rise, so too do the side effects of the condition.

According to a study published in the January issue of the urology journal BJUI, women who received a gastric band reported improved urinary function while men who underwent the same surgery did not experience such improvements. The researchers also found that men reported worsened erectile function after surgery in addition to no improvement in their urinary functions.

According to lead author Dr. Weranja Ranasinghe from the Department of Urology at Austin Hospital in Melbourne, the loss of sexual function in men is not congruent with other studies. However, he adds that his study looked at only short-term results of sexual function. The decreased libido and erectile dysfunction could be due to a variety of factors for which the study does not account.

Dr. Ranasinghe concludes by encouraging further research on the urinary and sexual effects of gastric band surgery.