Banding (medical)

For the term used in education, see Ability grouping. For the computer graphics term, see Posterization.

Banding is a medical procedure which uses elastic bands for constriction. Banding may be used to tie off blood vessels in order to stop bleeding, as in the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices.[1] The band restricts blood flow to the ligated tissue, so that it eventually dies and sloughs away from the supporting tissue. This same principle underlies banding as treatment for hemorrhoids.[2]

Banding may also be used to restrict the function of an organ without killing it. In gastric banding to treat obesity,[3] the size of the stomach is reduced so that digestion is slowed and the patient feels full more quickly.

Banding as a medical procedure is commonly used in livestock for male castration of sheep[4] and cattle.[5] Banding is also commonly done in tail docking of lambs to prevent flystrike,[6] and less commonly, used to dock tails of dairy cattle[7] and draft horses.[8] The bands are applied at the base of the scrotum or desired tail site, restricting blood flow to the scrotum or tail tissue, which eventually dies and sloughs away from the body. The procedure is frequently performed by trained farm personnel using recommendations by a licensed veterinarian and local agricultural extension agents.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Grace ND (July 1997). "Diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to portal hypertension". American Journal of Gastroenterology (American College of Gastroenterology Practice Parameters Committee) 92 (7): 1081–91.
  2. ↑ Iyer VS; Shrier I; Gordon PH (August 2004). "Long-term outcome of rubber band ligation for symptomatic primary and recurrent internal hemorrhoids.". Dis Colon Rectum 47 (8): 1364–70. doi:10.1007/s10350-004-0591-2. PMID 15484351.
  3. ↑ NIH conference, Consensus Development Conference Panel (1991). "Gastrointestinal surgery for severe obesity.". Annals of Internal Medicine 115 (12): 956–61. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-115-12-956. PMID 1952493.
  4. ↑ Animal Welfare Approved: Technical Paper No. 10: Castrating of Sheep, by Anna Bassett, Animal Welfare Approved, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  5. ↑ NMSU: Castrating Beef Calves: Age and Method, by Carter et al, April 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  6. ↑ Australia Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines - Taildocking Discussion Paper, by Animal Health Australia's Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines Writing Group, January 2013. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  7. ↑ Welfare Implications of Tail Docking of Cattle, by American Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Welfare Division, AVMA May 29, 2013. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  8. ↑ Welfare Implications of Horse Tail Modifications, by American Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Welfare Division, AVMA May 6, 2013. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  9. ↑ Small Ruminant Info Sheet: Docking, castrating, and disbudding, by Susan Schoenian, University of Maryland Extension December 22, 2009. Retrieved December 18, 2012.

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