BACKGROUND: The adjustable gastric band laparoscopic technique is safe, reversible and potentially effective alternative to gastric bypass Y-deRoux. However, it has a high rate of reoperation and unsatisfactory weight loss. OBJECTIVE: To present a cases series with the use of gastric banding in long term follow-up analyzing the withdrawal rate, its causes and the surgical conversions performed METHODS: Retrospective study based on the analysis of 19 patients who underwent the procedure between November 1999 and November 2002, and reviewed with clinical follow-up until late February 2011. The patients were analyzed in the following aspects: gender, age, preoperative weight, preoperative BMI, duration of follow-up, reasons for removal of the gastric band, need for conversion to another type of surgery and failure rate of surgical method. RESULTS: Nineteen patients underwent the procedure, four women and 15 men. The mean preoperative BMI was 41.95 kg/m² (36-54). The band was withdrawn in 13 patients (68.42%), including seven by erosion, four for unsatisfactory weight loss and two for gastroesophageal reflux. The gastric bypass was conducted in ten patients and Scopinaro operation in one. Two patients had not been reoperated till nowadays and four were lost in late follow-up. CONCLUSION: The gastric band is technically unsatisfactory in long-term evaluation, have high withdrawal rate due to migration or unsatisfactory weight loss.
Treatment failure; Reoperation; Obesity
