Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding: efficacy and consequences over a 13-year period.

Background: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is a common bariatric surgery. Although it is a safe and effective method of weight reduction in short term, it may result in some problems in long term. The purpose of this study was to investigate the consequences of LAGB in long term among morbid obese patients.

Methods: In this prospective study, 80 patients underwent LAGB using pars flaccida technique from 2001 to 2006. Long-term postoperative consequences and complications of these patients were recorded.

Results: The preoperative mean values of weight and body mass index were 125.5 ± 22.5 kg and 44.5 ± 6.5 kg/m(2), respectively. Over the 13-year follow-up period, 56 patients (84.8%) experienced at least one complication. The most common complications were band erosion (20 patients) and weight regains (13 patients). Fifty-one patients (78.5%) required reoperation. The band of 48 patients (72.7%) was removed; of these, twenty patients (30.3%) underwent other bariatric surgeries. Percent of excess weight loss was 47.1% ± 30.1%, and the success rate was 48.7%.

Conclusions: LAGB is a successful method with low complications in short term; however, over long term, it results in various complications.