Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding is one of several weight loss procedures in the bariatric surgeon’s armamentarium to treat morbid obesity. Laparoscopic gastric banding has the lowest perioperative risk compared to laparoscopic gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and duodenal switch (Buchwald et al., JAMA 292:1724–1737, 2004). The adjustable gastric band results in approximately 50% excess weight loss at 5 years (O’Brien and Dixon,J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A 13:265–270, 2003). In the long-term, reoperation rates can be high with the percentage of reoperations varying enormously in reported studies from 2% to 80% (Schouten et al., Surg Obes Relat Dis 7:99–109, 2011), although with changes in technique, reoperation rates after gastric banding have decreased (O’Brien et al., Obes Surg 15:820–826, 2005). Aftercare is critical to the success of the banded patient, in terms of adjusting the band as well as monitoring the patient’s symptoms (Weichman et al., Surg Endosc 25:397–403, 2011). Several studies have shown that patients who are seen more than six to seven times in the first postoperative year have better weight loss.