title: Gastric emptying of semisolids and pouch motility following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) has been popularized as an effective, safe, minimally invasive surgical technique for the treatment of morbid obesity. We performed a pilot study to evaluate gastric emptying of semisolid meals and antral motility following LAGB.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gastric emptying half-time was compared in normal volunteers and morbidly obese patients before and 6-12 months after LAGB using sulfur colloid-labeled semisolid meals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in mean age between groups. Women were prevalent in the group of obese patients. BMI was higher in patients before surgery (p < 0.001). Patients following LAGB demonstrated prolonged gastric pouch emptying (T1/2 = 36.6 +/- 9.8 min) compared to subjects without surgery (23.8 +/- 4.7 min) and healthy volunteers (22.8 +/- 6.8 min; p < 0.001). Similar gastric contractility was found all groups (3.3 +/- 0.4; p = 0.968). No cases of band slippage or pouch dilatation were observed during mean follow-up of 11.4 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A standard normal gastric pouch emptying rate of semisolids in asymptomatic patients after LAGB was established. Postoperative prolongation of gastric emptying is a matter of mechanical delay without gastric pouch denervation. This study provides a first step of future functional evaluation of complications following this type of bariatric surgery.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Nuclear Medicine, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Ekaterina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tiktinsky
authors.forename: Leonid
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lantsberg
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lantsberg
authors.forename: Solly
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mizrahi
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agranotvich
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friger
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kirshtein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D015391:Gastroplasty; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016065:Myoelectric Complex, Migrating / Q000502:physiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000503:physiopathology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging