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.
Carelli
Allison M
AM
NYU Langone Medical Center, 530 First Avenue, Suite 10S, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Youn
Heekoung Allison
HA
Kurian
Marina S
MS
Ren
Christine J
CJ
Fielding
George A
GA
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