Outcomes of Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Versus Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding in Adolescents

Background The goal of this study is to compare the outcomes of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) in obese adolescents. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 who underwent LAGB or LRYGB at our university affiliated Bariatric Center of Excellence from 2002 to 2011. Postsurgical weight loss at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months was noted and expressed as percentage of excess weight loss (% EWL). Results Thirty-two patients underwent LRYGB and 23 underwent LAGB. The LAGB group was younger (18.6 +/- 0.6 versus 17.2 +/- 1.5) than the LRYGB group. Other preoperative demographic factors including body mass index, gender, ethnicity, and comorbidities were similar between the two groups. The average % EWL was superior in the LRYGB group compared to the LAGB group at all time points studied (p < 0.05), although at 2-year follow-up, only 16 % (5/32) LRYGB and 30 % (7/23) LAGB patients were available for follow-up. Three patients with type II diabetes mellitus underwent LRYGB and all experienced remission of their diabetes. The number of complications requiring interventions was similar between the two groups. Conclusions In our study, adolescents undergoing LRYGB achieved superior weight loss compared to LAGB in the short-term follow-up. The complication rate for LAGB was similar compared to LRYGB. More studies are needed to monitor the long-term effects of these operations on adolescents before definitive recommendations can be made.