Safety of the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band: 7-year data from a U.S. center of excellence.
BACKGROUND
Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) has become one of the most common weight-loss procedures performed in the United States. The authors' high-volume academic medical center has gathered a database of almost 3,000 patients who have undergone LAGB since January 2001. The goal of this series, the largest to date on LAGB outcomes at a single institution, was to assess complications associated with LAGB.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was performed using longitudinal data from adult patients who underwent LAGB between 1 January 2001, and 29 February 2008. General and band-related complications were reported for all patients. Death and reoperation for weight gain (LAGB followed by either a second band insertion or a gastric bypass) also were reported.


RESULTS
Of the 2,965 patients who received LAGB during the study period, 2,909 met the criteria for inclusion in this analysis, and 363 (12.2%) experienced one or more complications. The most common complications were band slip (4.5%) and port-related problems (3.3%). Other complications were rare. Only seven patients (0.2%) had band erosion. Eleven patients (0.4%) underwent reoperation for weight gain. A total of 10 deaths (0.34%) occurred during the study period. Three patients died within 30 days of surgery. Two of these deaths (0.06%) were related to surgery, and one resulted from a motor vehicle accident. Seven patients died of causes unrelated to surgery during the course of the study.


CONCLUSIONS
The LAGB technique is a relatively safe procedure with few early or late complications. Few LAGB patients undergo reoperation for weight gain, and mortality is very rare.
NYU Langone Medical Center, 530 First Avenue, Suite 10S, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Allison M
AM
Carelli
Heekoung Allison
HA
Youn
Marina S
MS
Kurian
Christine J
CJ
Ren
George A
GA
Fielding
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015391:Gastroplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult