title: A new laparoscopic technique for weight reduction with implanted gastric banding basket.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nowadays, obesity is frequently an indication for implantation of an adjustable stomach or gastric band. Among the side effects, in addition to band erosion and port chamber complications, pouch dilation in the sense of increasing enlargement of the forestomach and resulting insufficiency of initial surgical measures consistently occurs. Implantation of a soft basket band will prevent this. The objective of this study was to investigate the practical feasibility of the soft basket band.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients were investigated in an observation study over a period from November 2006 to June 2007. Seven patients were women and three patients were men, with an average age of 43.6 years (25-66 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average body mass index (BMI) at the time of the operation was 47.4 +/- 5.5 kg/m(2), with an average body weight of 134.5 +/- 24.6 kg. After a median follow-up period of 1 month, an average BMI of 44.9 +/- 5.8 kg/m(2) was achieved, and after 3 months, an average BMI of 41.4 +/- 4.8 kg/m(2). The excessive weight loss was 7.4 +/- 4.3 kg after 1 month and 17.9 +/- 6.4 kg after 3 months. A local wound infection occurred as a complication in one patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopy procedures enable mortality to be lowered compared to bypass operations with minimal complications and substantial reduction of weight.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Surgical Research, University Hospital, Waldeyer Str. 1, 48149 Muenster (Westf.), Germany. spiegeh@uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: Manfred George
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Krukemeyer
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Dietl
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loermann
authors.forename: Hans-Ullrich
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Spiegel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D015391:Gastroplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery*; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss