title: Intragastric band erosion: experiences with gastrointestinal endoscopic removal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To remove the migrated bands using a gastrointestinal endoscopic approach. Little is published on complications that can occur.
  
  
  METHODS
  From June 2006 to June 2010, eight patients developed intragastric band migration. Two patients had received their AGB in a different hospital, the remaining six were operated by the same surgeon. In all patients gastrointestinal endoscopic removal of the band was attempted by two individual gastroenterologists. Clinical signs of band migration were: persisted nausea, abdominal pain, weight gain, recurrent infection of the port and tubing system and hematemesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In four patients removal was performed without complications. In two patients extracting the cleaved gastric band into the stomach appeared impossible. The two remaining patients presented with acute hematemesis and melena. One of these patients was readmitted with hematemesis. The other patient started bleeding during the gastroscopy and was converted to a laparoscopy in which one of the branches of the left gastric artery was oversewn.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Band migration after gastric banding can be life threatening. Gastrointestinal endoscopic removal is a feasible technique that holds the promise of fast reconvalescence.
authors: Edo Oscar Aarts, Bas van Wageningen, Frits Berends, Ignace Janssen, Department of Bariatric Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, 6800 TA Arnhem, The Netherlands.
authors: Edo Oscar
authors: EO
authors: Aarts
authors: Edo Oscar Aarts, Bas van Wageningen, Frits Berends, Ignace Janssen, Department of Bariatric Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, 6800 TA Arnhem, The Netherlands.
authors: Bas
authors: B
authors: van Wageningen
authors: Edo Oscar Aarts, Bas van Wageningen, Frits Berends, Ignace Janssen, Department of Bariatric Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, 6800 TA Arnhem, The Netherlands.
authors: Frits
authors: F
authors: Berends
authors: Edo Oscar Aarts, Bas van Wageningen, Frits Berends, Ignace Janssen, Department of Bariatric Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, 6800 TA Arnhem, The Netherlands.
authors: Ignace
authors: I
authors: Janssen
authors: Edo Oscar Aarts, Bas van Wageningen, Frits Berends, Ignace Janssen, Department of Bariatric Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, 6800 TA Arnhem, The Netherlands.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Wahab
authors: Edo Oscar Aarts, Bas van Wageningen, Frits Berends, Ignace Janssen, Department of Bariatric Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, 6800 TA Arnhem, The Netherlands.
authors: Marcel
authors: M
authors: Groenen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control; D020878:Device Removal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005773:Gastroscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013270:Stomach / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Adjustable gastric band; Gastrointestinal endoscopic device removal; Gastroscopy; Migration; Morbid obesity