Obesity surgery: discouraging long term results with Mason's vertical banded gastroplasty.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the long term results of Mason's vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) using accepted criteria, and to find out which factors predicted success.


METHODS
Retrospective survey of a cohort of 40 severely obese patients (mean initial body mass index (BMI in kg/m2): 43, range 34-62).


METHODS
General teaching hospital, The Netherlands.


METHODS
Success according to three definitions: weight loss of more than 25%; percentage of excess weight 50% or less; and BMI < 30.


RESULTS
Mean follow-up was 7.4 years (range 0.5-10) or 85%. The distribution over MacLean and Reinhold criteria shows a shift towards unfavourable categories. The consecutive percentages of success at five years were 35%, 62%, and 35%. Logistic regression analysis of success at 5 years shows that the following factors significantly predicted success: Definition I: age odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.88 (0.78 to 0.99). Definition II: age: 0.84 (0.69-1.01), outlet > or = 5 cm: 176 (2.4 to 12774), percentage of ideal weight > or = 100%: 0.03 (0.002 to 0.48). Definition III: age: 0.86 (0.75 to 0.99), pouch size > or = 15 ml: 10.64 (1.48 to 76.6).


CONCLUSIONS
The long term results of VBG are disappointing when assessed by the standard criteria.
Versélewel de Witt Hamer
P C
PC
Department of General Surgery, Red Cross Hospital, Beverwijk, The Netherlands.
Hunfeld
M A
MA
Tuinebreijer
W E
WE
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015391:Gastroplasty / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss