Laparoscopic gastric banding in adolescents.
BACKGROUND
Adolescent obesity has undesirable short- and long-term effects. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding has been considered a procedure of choice for adolescent morbid obesity. We retrospectively evaluated our single-team banding experience in the adolescent population.


METHODS
We reviewed the medical and clinic records and conducted telephone questionnaire interviews, to evaluate the results of banding using the Swedish adjustable gastric band (SAGB) in the 60 adolescents at our institution who had been followed > or =3 years.


RESULTS
An average of 39.5 months of follow-up has been conducted in the patients who have been followed > or =3 years. Mean age at the time of the operation was 16 years (9 to 18). 60% reported a family history of obesity. Associated co-morbidities included hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea and asthma. Mean preoperative BMI was 43 (35-61) kg/m(2). Mean postoperative BMI after 39.5 months follow-up was 30 (20-39) kg/m(2). No co-morbidities have existed after the operation. 6 patients (10%) underwent band repositioning and 2 patients underwent band removal, due to slippage; 7 of the 8 slippages occurred with an earlier perigastric technique which transgressed lesser sac. There was no mortality. Average postoperative hospital stay was 24 hours.


CONCLUSIONS
Gastric banding in adolescents is a safe, satisfactory and reversible weight reduction procedure.
Yitzhak
Avraham
A
Department of Surgery A, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Mizrahi
Solly
S
Avinoach
Eliezer
E
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015391:Gastroplasty / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery; D011788:Quality of Life; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome