Obesity: an innately incurable disease?
BACKGROUND
Staple-line disruption is a common complication after vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG).


METHODS
Of 655 patients who underwent VBG, a hole across the partition developed in 46 (7.02%).


RESULTS
The original excellent weight loss from a BMI of 49.2 +/- 6.9 kg/m2 to 31.9 +/- 6.1 kg/m2 stopped with staple-line dehiscence, and all 46 patients regained weight, even to their original weight. After operative revision by restapling (n = 24/46) or implantation of an adjustable band (n = 10/46), patients reduced their body weight once more (to BMI 31.2 +/- 5.9 or 33.8 +/- 5.8).


CONCLUSIONS
Obese patients need the food-intake reducing operations maintained lifelong; the real cause of obesity is not curable until now, and only the main symptom, "overweight," can be improved by therapy.
Husemann
B J
BJ
Surgical Clinic of Dominikus-Krankenhaus, Düsseldorf, Germany.
D015992:Body Mass Index; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015391:Gastroplasty; D006801:Humans; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D017792:Surgical Stapling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013537:Sutures; D013997:Time Factors; D015430:Weight Gain