title: Adolescent laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB): prospective results in 137 patients followed for 3 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence supports weight loss surgery as an effective long-term weight reduction therapy in adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Few adolescent obesity surgery series report outcomes for laparoscopic gastric banding (LAGB). We studied a population of morbidly obese teenagers who underwent LAGB to evaluate its safety and effectiveness in this age group. Three hundred and six morbidly obese adolescent candidates for LAGB were screened. Enrollees were evaluated monthly by the nutritionist and the surgical team to monitor compliance with recommended changes in diet and exercise. Patients also underwent psychiatric and endocrine evaluations. Those who made good changes in eating and exercise habits over a 6-month period were offered LAGB. The setting was a university hospital in the United States.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred thirty-seven adolescent patients underwent LAGB. The mean weight gain between enrollment and LAGB was 4.7 kg. Mean preoperative weight, body mass index (BMI), and excess BMI were 136.1 kg, 48.3 kg/m2, and 23.6 kg/m2, respectively. Mean BMI at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months was 43.8, 41.6, 41.5, 40.5, and 39.3. Excess BMI loss was 28.4%, 35.9%, and 41.1% at 1, 2, and 3 years postop. Co-morbid conditions improved or resolved with weight loss after LAGB. Thirty patients (22%) underwent one or more additional operations for complications. Twenty-seven patients (20%) converted to other weight loss procedures or had their bands removed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LAGB is a safe weight loss operation in adolescents. Morbidly obese adolescents can lose weight successfully and experience health improvement following LAGB, but the role of LAGB in the younger population requires long-term evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Surgery, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York; Department of Surgery, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York. Electronic address: jlz2@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Jeffrey L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zitsman
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York; Center for Obesity Surgery, Department of Surgery, New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Mary F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: DiGiorgi
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York; Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Ilene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fennoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York; Division of Pediatric GI/Nutrition, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Janet Schauben
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kopchinski
authors.affiliation: Columbia Center for Eating Disorders, Division of Clinical Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sysko
authors.affiliation: Columbia Center for Eating Disorders, Division of Clinical Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Devlin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015391:Gastroplasty / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery*; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescent weight loss surgery; Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding