title: [Improvement in the quality of life for patients with adjustable gastric banding: initial results].
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the improvement in quality of life for patients that have undergone the laparoscopic gastric banding, using the BAROS and Moorehead-Ardelt II questionnaires.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected a 20 patient group (65% women) that underwent this surgical procedure in our clinic. The initial average weight was 123.45kg, and the body-mass index of 42.36. The average age was 29.25 years. The pars flaccida technique was used in 18, and the perigastric approach in 2 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No complications or intraoperative accidents occurred. The mean operation time was 115.5 minutes. Elective conversion was needed in one case with a BMI of 55. The average hospital stay was of 3.2 days. The follow-up was conducted at least through phone in 95% of cases, and its average duration was of 10 months. The only postoperative complications were infections of the subcutaneous port (5 cases - 25%) which needed removal of the port, but not of the banding. The average loss of excess weight was 48.23%. Using the BAROS score to determine the overall improvement of quality of life, 30% of the patients scored as "Very Good", 50% as "Good", 20% as "Fair". Using the Moorehead-Ardelt QLQ II score, 65% scored as "Very Good", 30% as "Good" and 5% as "Fair".
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding significantly improves the quality of life for most patients with this procedure.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Chirurgie III, Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie "Iuliu Haţieganu", Cluj-Napoca, România. drpuia@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Puia
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Cristea
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Puia
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mocan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mitre
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zdrehus
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ionescu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015391:Gastroplasty; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018579:Patient Selection; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss